Pity
by Endellion
Summary: While taking a leisurely walk in the Forgotten City, Vincent stumbles upon an defenseless Kadaj. He is forced to take care of him while trying to figure out what his real motives are. Not yaoi.
1. Chapter 1

******A/N: I started this story like almost three years ago. It took me two years to finish it 'cause I got bored with it early on. I'm not really sure it's worth posting...I just wanted to post it. So here. ****This isn't a romance story. And it's about 95% yaoi free. The other five percent is just Kadaj messing with Vincent. And w****arning: the writing might be a bit tedious. My stuff seemed to be really tedious back then. lol Well anyway...you don't want to listen to me talk.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.**

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**Pity - Chapter One**

The moon hung beautifully in the sky, shining down on the crystal forest with a beautful florescent light. Stars accompanied the eerie glow, adding to it and brightening the darkened world with the usual, natural aura it gave white trees surrounded every path that one could possibly walk, glowing softly with specks that would sparkle through the air. The breeze was cool outside, the air brisk.

Vincent Valentine walked leisurely over the path to the Forgotten City. His gaze was directed to the ground, the collar of his red cloak covering half of his face to block out the cold wind that was nipping against his pale features. Utter silence engulfed him and the entire location, not even the songs of crickets breaking through. Everythng was peaceful there, in its haunting way, as it had always been. Maybe that was why he liked coming there-everything was still quiet, giving him time to think and breathe.

It had been over a year since the incident with Deepground and life had finally started moving on for Vincent. He was more at peace with himself now, and grew closer to his friends than he would ever have allowed himself to. His past mistakes and memories were still on his mind, but they only stayed there as a simple reminder of what was, no longer having a terrible pain attached to them . . . unless he thought too hard about them. He now, officially, lived at the Seventh Heaven bar with Tifa, Cloud, and their two children, and occationally Shelke. It had been a while since he called any place home, and strangely enough, he was looking forward to returning there. Of course, after he had his breather.

He wasn't exactly sure why he was there. Whenever he wanted to relax, he would usually go the Chronicles of Yore, and gaze upon Lucrecia's frozen form. She always brought him peace. Yet for some reason, he was at the Forgotten City.

Many things had happened here a few years back, and AVALANCHE had lost a beloved member of their party. Being here again did remind him of her, though he didn't know her very well, and at the time didn't really care to. But now a small amount of regret told him that maybe he should have.

Was that was he was there? To make up for something? That was all his life seemed to be about, didn't it? He was always sorry for something, always full of regret. But no more. He couldn't change the past, something he had to accept. So now, he would walk the Forgotten City, remembering Aeris and all she did for the world, wishing he knew her better, but not grieving over the fact that he didn't.

Vincent brought himself to a halt, stopping in the middle of the path and gazing at the surrounding trees. He took in a deep breath, being aware of all the scents that the ancient city harbored. He used to come here a lot, back during the crisis of the Geostigma. Sephiroth's remnants, Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz, had a base there, and he would watch them often. He also freed Tseng and Elena from their cruel clutches and healed them there. He began to think about all the time he spent here, and realised he didn't need an excuse for being here at all. He had been here many times before, so what would one more time matter?

He resumed his walking, glancing about the forest floor as he made his way down the path, which would eventually lead him to the the large stucture that stood in the center of the city. It was an amazing sight, and a wonder to gaze upon.

He continued onward, his senses being at rest though they still flew all over the place, taking the beauty with his eyes, the smell of the trees with his nose, and the soft sound of the breeze with his ears. His mind was empty, yet wondering so many things, subject after subject passing in and out of his thoughts.

His eyes shot open from their wary state, his gaze alert. His ears had perked to something: a faint noise, probably normally unheard to the common ear. But he picked it up, though he didn't know what it was. Eyebrows furrowing in confusion, he stopped, looking around the place and remaining completely silent.

Then he heard something, though this sound was different. This one sounded like water, being swashed around. The noise continued for a moment, as if something was caught in a stream and unable to come out. Then there was another sound, which echoed through the empty land, sending chills up his spine. It was the same as the first sound he had heard, and this time he was able to tell what it was. It sounded like a voice, gasping for air.

His hand reached beyond the rim of his red cloak, laying on Cerberus, which he slowly withdrew from its holster. Cautiously, he continued walking, following the noise. He made it quickly to the end of the path, and slowed his pace, hiding among the many trees as the large structure came into view. Also in view, was the large body of water that surrounded it, reflecting the moonlight and the glow of the trees.

He was met with further confusion, when he found what the source of the noise was. At the edge of the water, lay a person. It was a young man, naked, laying face down on the ground with his feet dangling in the edge of the water. He was soaked all over, his postion indicating that he had just climbed out of the pool, a chilling thought for how cold it was outside. But among all that, Vincent was more disturbed and confused by who the person was, since his drenched, shoulder-length, silver hair told him that it was none other than Kadaj.

But Kadaj was dead. He saw him disappear into the Lifestream from the deck of the _Shera_. So how could he possibly be there now?

The silver-headed teen was breathing heavily, which he was able to see even from his distance. His arms were were trying to move, weakly clawing at the dirt as he tried to pull himself fully out of the water. He was also shivering, having made his attempt all the more gruelling.

Vincent slowly stepped from the treeline, Cerberus firmly in his hand and aimed directly at the other. As he stepped closer, his footsteps threatening, the teen looked up at him. For the first time, Vincent saw his face, and when he glanced at it, he almost felt pity. It was in fact Kadaj, or some other identical clone of Sephiroth, but the smug look the teen usually carried was vacant from his face. Not like he could blame the boy; he had to be freezing. He looked confused, almost scared as he stared up at Vincent, then glanced at the gun. He dropped his gaze again, letting his face fall back to the ground.

"So cold . . . " the teen muttered, his fingers digging into the ground.

Feeling that there was no threat here, Vincent cautiously replaced Cerberus, still staring at Kadaj with wary eyes.

"C-cold," the boy shivered.

Vincent knelt down to him, placing his gloved hand softly on his shoulder. To his touch, the teen whimpered, then curled up as Vincent turned him over on his back. He looked up at him, jade eyes wide.

"What are you doing here?" Vincent asked, his voice not to sympathetic.

Kadaj looked around the place for a moment, then back up at him. He made no response. He shivered uncontrollably, his teeth chattering as his eyes began to flutter.

Vincent knew that the teen wouldn't last long out there, and if he wanted any answers from him, he would have to get him some help. He watched him, for a moment, contemplating if he _should_ help him, after all he had conscience took over, and he was disgruntled as he began unbuckling his cloak from his shoulders. He removed it, feeling colder as the wind broke through his thin clothing. He couldn't imagine how Kadaj felt, as he wrapped the cloak around his naked body. By that time, the teen had already slipped into unconciousness.

He looked around for a moment, trying to decide what to do before he lifted Kadaj in his arms, cradling his slender body close.

He began walking again, making his way around the pool and heading towards the ancient structure. He entered into the alcove, immediately being shielded from the cold drafts, though the inside of the structure was still cold itself. He breathed heavily, walking as far inside as he thought necessary. He then set Kadaj on the ground, looming over him as he lay curled up in his cloak. The boy was motionless, water still dripping from his hair. He ran his gloved hand over the silver strands, then attempted to dry them off on the edge of the cloak. There wasn't much success.

He pulled his glove from his right hand, then took hold of the remnant's wrist. It was ice cold, and his pulse was slow. His odds of living still weren't very good. Rolling his eyes and letting out a defeated sigh, he knew that there was only one way to warm the teen. He began undoing the buckles of his shirt, feeling the cold as he bared his pale chest. He looked down at himself for a moment, gazing at his scars, then shaking his head at the things they made him think about. Now wasn't the time for such things.

He opened his shirt fully. He reached down for Kadaj and lifted him from the floor, his head lolling back, hair dripping. He pulled him closer to him, pressing the boy's chest against his own.

Kadaj was uncomfortably cold, and Vincent shivered for a moment, holding back a gasp as the teen's icey cold skin made contact with his own. He remained still and calm, and within a minute, the cold of the remnant's skin began to dissipate. He soon felt the warmth being returned, and he sat back, relaxing a bit and letting out a deep breath. Kadaj hung limply against him, his head resting on his shoulder. Vincent tried the best he could to keep his back and legs covered by the cloak, then rested his face in the crook of his neck, breathing on him to warm him. The situation was quite ackward, but that feeling went away after a moment.

Vincent wondered how long he would have to do this, and knew they couldn't stay there forever. He had to get the teen into a proper shelter, under some blankets on a warm bed so he could recover.

The confusion took over, as a voice in the back of his head wondered why he was helping the teen at all. He was a part of Sephiroth, and had killed many people on his own merit. He tortured the Turks, brought the Bahamut down on Edge, and even brought Sephiroth back. He had watched him; he was cruel and menacing. So why was he going through all the effort to keep him warm? He was using his own body heat to sustain him, clutching him so closely.

He wanted answers from him, yes. But answers to what? Why he was alive? It wouldn't matter anymore if he just let him die. But that thought was too heartless, for anyone. The teen was alone, cold, unarmed, unclothed, and . . . afraid? That would be enough for anyone with a heart to want to help him.

But that wasn't it, was it? No, and he knew it, just ingored it.

Kadaj whimpered softly, grabbing Vincent's attention.

"Kadaj?" he asked, wondering if the boy had awakened.

Apparently not, since he didn't move at all.

The remnant's shivering subsided, much to his relief. Now he had to make a decision of what to do with him. He, of course, would have to either take him to AVALANCHE or the WRO Headquarters eventually. But for now, he just needed to get the boy somewhere safe and warm. Bone Village wasn't too far away, and he might be able to make it there soon enough, or at least before morning. Deciding that that was his best choice, he pulled Kadaj away from him, wrapping him back in the cloak, then laying him back on the floor.

He buckled his shirt back up, then replaced his glove. He grabbed the wrapped-up teen again, cradling him once more, then turning and making his way out of the structure. Hopefully, he would reach Bone Village soon enough.

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**A/N: Please review and tell me if you wanna bother reading the rest. Hahaha!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Yay! Chapter two! Hope you enjoy it. And thanks for the good reviews! I was pleasantly surprised. lol Enjoy...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.**

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Chapter Two

Vincent sat upon a chair, his elbow on the armrest and his face on his fist. His hand was laid leisurely on Cerberus, softly stroking the handle as he gazed at the sleeping form of Kadaj on the bed across from him. They had reached Bone Village safely, at around the crack of dawn. The people there were kind, offering him what little space and accomodations they had.

Kadaj was doing better, whatever little bit of color he had returned to his skin, and his breathing was now normal. He was under a thick pile of blankets, still yet to be clothed. He had been asleep for many hours now, and the sun was almost setting behind the mountains. Vincent had stayed in the room the whole time, watching him until he awoke. Occationally, the friendly people of the village would offer him food and he would gladly take it, but other than that, he waited patiently.

He was now beginning to drift with his thoughts, and fatigue was starting to take him over. He hadn't slept in two days, and the walk there while carrying the teen had taken a lot out of him. His eyelids were getting heavy, and he found them beginning to shut on their own.

But he forced them open when movement from Kadaj caught his eye. Vincent sat up straight in his seat, watching Kadaj intently as he turned over and yawned. A moment later, the teen opened his eyes, looking around the room with no expression on his face. After a moment of searching, he met Vincent's gaze.

Vincent rose from his chair in a slow, fluent movement, looking brooding as usual as he stepped closer to the bed, withdrawing Cerberus from its holster and pointing it directly at the remnant. Kadaj looked up at him, clearly unsure about what the dark man wanted, but not looking afraid.

"Who are you?" Vincent simply asked.

He looked confused for a moment, then said, "Kadaj," as if it were obvious.

"And what do you remember?"

Kadaj was confused again, but willingly answered him. "Everything," he said with a shrug.

"Then what are you doing back here? You're supposed to be dead."

Kadaj's face was flat for a moment, but then the corner of his lips curled in a devious half smile. He relaxed against his pillow, looking up at him with amusement in his eyes.

"Are you afraid of me, Vincent Valentine?" he asked after a moment.

"No," the other answered without a second of hesitation.

"Hmm, I thought you would be. After all . . . I've been dangerous."

"Why are you alive?" Vincent asked again, threatening the boy once again with Cerberus.

Kadaj shrugged, turning over in bed and now laying on his stomach. "I don't know."

"I don't believe you."

Kadaj smiled, his eyes showing that he was amused once again, and that Vincent's suspicions might have been sound.

Vincent let out an annoyed huff of breath, realising he was too tired to be playing any games with him right now. He lowered Cerberus, not feeling very threatened. He turned his back on Kadaj, picking up a folded pile of clothing that was set on a nearby table. "Here," he said, tossing the pile on Kadaj's lap as he sat up. "Get dressed."

Kadaj looked at him for a moment, then down at the clothing that was provided for him. He unfolded a long-sleeved black shirt, then slipped it over his head, pulling the loose fabric down over his torso. He looked over at Vincent, who stood with his back facing him, looking to the ground as if in deep thought. He continued to watch him, as he threw the blanket off his bare legs, then stood to his feet, slipping on a pair of boxers, following with a pair of pants. He stood still afterward, gazing down at himself with little satisfaction.

Vincent turned around, facing the teen who was giving him a dirty look. The clothes were way too big for the remnant's slender form, the shirt being about two sizes too big and the pants nearly falling off entirely. The teen kept pulling them up, then seeing if they would stay if he let them go. They didn't really, and he looked back at Vincent flatly. Truthfully, it amused him.

"I need a belt," Kadaj said bitterly.

Vincent made no reply.

Kadaj took a seat back down on the bed, crossing his arms over his chest and his legs one over the other. He gazed around the room for a moment, then asked. "Where are we?"

"Bone Village," Vincent answered.

"You carried me here?" Kadaj asked, a bit of surpise on his face.

Vincent simply shrugged.

A smile played on Kadaj face, and he looked away from him again. He stared at the moldy, flaking ceiling of the room they were in, understanding now why it was in such bad shape. Nothing else looked any better. Even the bed could have smelled better.

"I'm hungry," Kadaj said randomly.

Vincent looked at him for a moment, then withdrew Cerberus, pointing it at him again. Kadaj seemed to shrink back a bit, before he said, "Don't move." Vincent left the room after that, and Kadaj leaned to his left to see if he could see the man outside. Disappointed, he returned to his original position to wait for him.

A second later, Vincent returned, sitting back down on the chair. "They'll bring us something."

Vincent continued to hold onto Cerberus, eying it for a moment. There was another moment of silence, as Vincent was pondering all that was happening, and the unanswered questions were beginning to bother him. He looked back at Kadaj one more time, his gaze dark and threatening. Kadaj stared back, not showing any fear as he glared at him.

"I want to know, Kadaj," Vincent spoke. "Tell me the truth; why are you here?"

Kadaj looked up at the ceiling, his face looking like that of an annoyed woman. "I'm not here to do Sephiroth's will, if that's what you're wondering," he answered. "Nor Jenova's."

Vincent noticed that he didn't call the harbinger his mother.

"Believe me, I wouldn't ever think about doing that again."

"Then you remember what happened?"

"Of course I do! . . . He left me for dead," Kadaj finished softly, now gazing at the floor, a controlled anger in his eyes.

Vincent watched him closely, seeing no lie behind the boy's words. He ceased his questions for a moment, wondering if the boy's trip through the Lifestream had really changed his heart. But another part of him didn't think that was possible for someone who was part of Sephiroth, and had done so much destruction.

It wasn't long before a woman peeped her head into the room, holding two steaming bowls in her hands. She smiled to them as she stepped it, then handed a bowl to the hungry teenager. Kadaj was silent as he took it from her, then sniffed the creamy soup that was inside of it.

"Thank you," Vincent said to the woman as she handed him his own bowl, and she smiled to him.

"Let me know if you need anything else," she said.

"I will, thanks."

With that, she left, leaving the two of them alone.

Vincent thought it was unnecessary to reveal to the people of Bone Village what exactly was going on when he brought the unconcious teenager there. The villagers didn't get out of their excavation sight much, so they had little knowledge of what happened with the trio of remnants in Edge two years ago. They also had no knowledge of the fact that be bore a striking resemblance to Sephiroth.

Kadaj sniffed his soup again, then took the spoon in his hand, moving it around the slice of bread that had been put in there for them. Vincent watched him for a moment, then decided it would be okay for him to put Cerberus back in its holster. He did so, continuing to eye the remnant as he took the first taste of his soup. Kadaj continued to sniff his, as if afraid of what it would taste like. He took the smallest sip anyone could manage, then took a moment to evaluate the taste. A smile brightened his face when he realised he liked it, and he took a whole spoonful in his mouth.

Vincent looked away from him, turning his attention to his own meal as he slowly took in the soup. Kadaj on the other hand was scarfing his food down, biting hungrily into the slice of bread. Vincent watched him again, noting how childlike he seemed there. An innocent look was on his face, and the only thing that seemed to concern him was his hearty meal. That was reassuring.

It wasn't long before Kadaj finished off all his bread, then was tipping the bowl back to get every possible drop of the soup. Vincent wasn't anywhere near done with his, and just watched him with hidden amusement, as he took another spoonful.

Kadaj set the bowl down on the nightstand, wiping the soup off his mouth with his sleeve, then taking in a deep satisfying breath. Vincent took a bite of his bread, his eyes never leaving the boy, who now met his glare, his face expressionless. Vincent looked back down at his bread for a moment, and silence cloaked the room. Kadaj was now staring at him, a smile tugging the corners of his mouth and letting a few teeth show through. Vincent met his gaze one more time, and Kadaj gave up the battle, as he laid himself back down on the bed.

The teen remained silent, knowing how important Vincent's meal was. He rested his head on top of his hands, gazing up at the ceiling. Vincent watched him from where he was, taking note of his slender body as it showed through the baggy clothes that were folded beneath him because of all the space.

A few minutes passed, and Vincent finished his soup, setting the bowl down by Kadaj's. The remnant watched him as he did so, and Vincent could tell he was either eager to talk or ask questions. Vincent rose from his chair, making his way to the window and looking out of it and up at the darkening sky.

"It's getting late," he said simply. "We'll have to stay here tonight, then leave in the morning."

"Where are we going?" Kadaj asked.

"Midgar," Vincent answered, turning back to him.

Kadaj smiled again. "And what do you intend to do with me there?"

"Take you to the WRO and have them place you under lock and key."

"Oh, joy," he said, turning over on his side.

"Get some sleep," Vincent said. "It's a long ride to Midgar."

"But I'm not tired," Kadaj simply stated.

Vincent believed him, after the kid slept all day.

"Why don't you sleep?"

Vincent looked at him. He would have looked flat, but his face looked like that all the time. "I'm not falling asleep so you can run around freely."

"What? Do you think I'm gonna stab you in your sleep?" His smile was teasing.

"Hmph, you may run away," Vincent said, taking his seat again.

"And go where? With this cold?"

Vincent made no reply, just continued to stare at him coldly.

"Fine have it your way," Kadaj said, turning back on his back. "But it's a long ride to Midgar."

Again Vincent was silent.

"And the whole walk here must have been exhausting. Especially while carrying me."

"I've gone longer without sleep."

"Fine. Just don't be angry when you pass out and I run away."

Vincent let out a deep sigh, running his gloved hand over his face. He really was tired, and the thought of sleeping on a bed was nice. He pulled himself out of the chair, then stepped out the room. Again, Kadaj watched him go, listening to his inaudible voice as he talked to one of the villagers. A moment later, he returned, shutting the door behind himself and locking the two of them in.

He said nothing as he approached the bed and grabbed Kadaj's wrist, without any warning. The teen soon noticed that he had a pair of handcuffs in his hands, and instictively tried to shove him away. Within a second, Vincent whipped out Cerberus, the nozzle in the center of Kadaj's chest.

"Don't struggle," Vincent ordered coldly.

Kadaj complied, and remained still as Vincent used his claw to snap the cuff on his left wrist.

He lowered Cerberus, then tugged on the cuffs, pulling the teen to his feet and leading him over to the wooden chair. Kadaj willingly sat down on it, gazing at Vincent with flat eyes as he snapped the other cuff to the armrest. He replaced Cerberus afterward, then removed his cell phone from his belt and set it on the nightstand. He promptly climbed into bed. Kadaj watched him from the chair, amused.

Vincent pulled the blankets up to his chin, then flicked off the lights. The room didn't fall completely dark, since there was another lamp in the far corner, allowing them to see each other. Vincent looked at the remnant one last time, before closing his eyes to try and get some sleep. The moment he shut them, he heard a loud snapping noise, like the breaking of wood.

He opened them back up and looked at Kadaj, to see him sitting with his hands together on his lap, the left armrest broken in the middle and shards and splinters on the floor. Annoyed, Vincent rose from the bed, throwing the blankets off and pulling Cerberus out once again.

"Stand up," he ordered grudgingly, and Kadaj rose, a playful smile on his young face.

Vincent looked around the room for something suitable to bind the teen to, but there wasn't much furniture there. Deciding he was really too tired to care, and that there was no other way, he led him over to the other side of the bed. He basically pushed him down, then reached into his pocket for the key. He replaced Cerberus one last time, then unclasped the free cuff, only to snap it back over the metal frame of the bed.

Vincent looked at him darkly, then stepped back around to the other side. He took Cerberus out of its holster and set it on the nightstand, figuring it wouldn't be good to have within Kadaj's reach. In order for him to get it, he would have to climb over him, which would surely wake him. He placed the key there also, then crashed down on the bed beside him. He pulled the blanket back over himself, keeping his back faced to the teen as he tried to get comfortable.

"Don't try anything," he said to him sternly.

Kadaj made no reply, just continued to stare at him, amused. Vincent lay there and eventually fell asleep, his deep breathing assuring the other of that. But Kadaj was wide awake, and continued to watch him as he slept, slowly running his fingers through Vincent's raven locks.

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**Reviews are appreciated. Thanks. :D**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hello again! Here's chapter three. I meant to put this up yesterday, but I never got around to it. It's kinda short compared to the other two, but it's kinda fun, so hopefully that'll make up for it. Again, thanks for the reviews. They make me feel all fluffy inside. :D Anyway, enjoy...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.**

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**Chapter Three**

The next morning, Vincent opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling. He was well aware of the situation he was in, and remembered clearly the events that had followed the previous day. Sunlight was beaming through the window, bright and white, clearly a sign that it was reflecting off snow. He blinked a few times, letting out an annoyed breath, the thought of riding a chocobo through the snow not sounding too fun.

The unfortunate situation was brought back to his thoughts when he became aware of an uncomfortably warm feeling against his back. He was under the pile of blankets, and still had all his clothes on, including his cloak. But even so, he was made warmer by an abundant heat source pressing against his back. And he was well aware of what that heat source was. He moved himself a bit, pulling closer to the edge of the bed before shifting his position entirely and flipping onto his back. Kadaj was still on the bed beside him, uncomfortably close.

The teen was fast asleep, more in the middle of the bed than on his side. He was below all the blankets as well, his head rested on top of his arms from his lack of a pillow. His large eyes were dancing behind his closed lids, and his breathing was deep and rhythmatic. Again, Vincent couldn't help but notice how childish he looked.

He sighed again, wondering why he had ended up in the situation he was now in. He looked away from the Kadaj, throwing the blankets off and pushing himself out of bed. To his movement, Kadaj moaned, turning over and catching Vincent's attention. But the teen didn't awaken, and his deep breathing continued. Vincent stood up, stretching his mucles a bit and taking in a few deep breaths. He then made his way over to the door, unlocking it and stepping out, being met by the sight of all the people of Bone Village fast at work.

He was quick to find one of the main people who had helped him yesterday. It was a kind woman, and upon spotting him, she immediately offered him and his young friend breakfast. He accepted, as well as asked for a more suitable set of clothing for travel, and two riding chocobos. He also mentioned that he was willing to pay for it all, but the woman insisted that he take it all for free. Not having the ability to agrue with the stubborn woman, he agreed, then took the new clothing back into the house.

Without much reguard for the remnant's current state, Vincent threw the clothes on top of his head. It harshly awoke the teen from his sleep, causing him alarm for a moment as he knocked the clothes off his head and looked around.

"Wake up," Vincent merely said to him.

Kadaj narrowed his eyes sinisterly as he sat up, his cuffs rattling against the metal frame. He scratched his hair, the thin strands falling back into place as if they had never been rustled.

Vincent approached the nightstand and replaced his gun in his holster, while he grabbed the key from the table as well. He approached Kadaj and unchained him from the bed, the teen's eyes focused on his face the whole time, examining and calculating him, as if trying to decide what course of action to take. Vincent pretended not to notice.

"Get dressed," he ordered him as he placed the key and cuffs in his pocket.

Kadaj smiled almost deviously as he took the new clothes and looked them over. They were thicker than the ones he was currently wearing, and slightly smaller, much to his pleasure.

Like before, Vincent turned his back on the boy to offer him a slight bit of privacy. He became annoyed though when a pair of pants were thrown over his head. He pulled them off and turned to the remnant with a dark look in his eyes. Kadaj was merely smiling, pulling on his new pants.

Vincent sighed in annoyance, but his attention was diverted away from the boy when the woman came walking into the room. She had a tray in her hands, along with two more bowls of that hearty soup they had had the night before.

"I thought you might like some breakfast before you set out," she said.

"Yes!" Kadaj made the eager reply. The teen was now sitting on the bed, grabbing the pair of boots that had been provided for him. He laced up the strings as Vincent took the soup from the woman and thanked her. The two of them were left alone together again, and Kadaj eagerly approached Vincent and the food.

He said nothing as he grabbed a bowl and plopped himself back down on the bed, beginning to devour the soup with the same zeal he had the night before. Vincent ate slowly, asking himself over and over again how he had gotten into this situation.

"Where exactly are we going?" Kadak asked as he hungrily took in the soup, slurping and chomping on his bread.

"I told you, back to Edge. I'm taking you to the WRO."

"Hmph," was his only response.

Vincent stopped eating to watch him as he put the bowl to his lips and tipped it back, drinking up the thick liquid. His eyes were intent on the bowl before him, looking slightly crossed. Vincent shook his head, wondering how someone so devious came to such a vulnerable situation. He seemed completely carefree, even with the knowledge that he was no doubt about to be taken to be judged for his crimes.

"Will I see brother there?" he asked, slowly licking the soup from his lips.

Cloud, Vincent figured. "I suppose."

He smiled again, his eyes on his empty bowl as he let it rest between his knees. "Maybe he'll understand . . . " he mused.

"Understand what?"

Kadaj smiled again. "Why I've come back."

Vincent stared at him darkly. The boy's eyes, so similar to Sephiroth's, glinted with something hidden behind their green color. "And why is that?" he asked him.

Kadaj shrugged, the gesture easily taken as him hiding the answer. "How should I know?" he asked mockingly, "Mother sent me back."

"I thought you abandoned Jenova."

"Not Jenova," he said, his smile brightening further. "My mother is Aeris."

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**A/N: Tada! Please review. :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Okay, here's chapter four. Not much else to say. :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.**

**Chapter Four**

Vincent was invited by a warm gust of air, the feeling welcoming as he stepped inside, out of the cold. The loud noise of the wind outside blew against the building, sending snow flying violently through the air, past the window. He was more than happy to be some place warm, no matter where that place was exactly. It was winter, he knew this, but he had never counted on a blizzard, or he wouldn't have come out here in the first place. But then again, Kadaj would have been left at the Forgotten City, naked and alone in this weather.

He indulged the question if that was a bad thing, as he glared over at the remnant who stepped in beside him. The teen was bundled up in heavy clothing, but they seemed to do little for him against the weather. He sighed in relief as he entered into the hotel room, snow falling off his person.

Vincent quickly shut the door behind them, then turned on the light switch. He looked around the room they had rented.

They were currently in Junon, and he figured they were lucky to have gotten this far. Midgar wasn't that far away now, but he wasn't sure when they would be getting there. He could only hope the weather would let up before morning. He was sure he could manage their chocobos through a couple feet of snow, if only it was that benign.

His thoughts went to the creatures in their warm stable, hoping they wouldn't be too affected by the weather.

"I told you we should have stopped earlier," Kadaj said to him, pulling down the hood that was covering his head. He shook his platinum hair, then looked over at his companion. Vincent didn't grant him the pleasure of a response.

He walked further into the room, looking over the two beds, then the bathroom, and the table, and the other few peices of furniture. The place wasn't too special, but it would do for a night or two. Possibly three with this weather.

He turned back to Kadaj, drawing Cerberus as he also took the key to the remnant's handcuffs out of his pocket. He had left him bound the whole journey, figuring he'd rather not have him try anything. Needless to say, the journey had been uneventful, and the teen cooperative. Kadaj rolled his eyes at the sight of the three-barreled gun, but held his hands out to him without a word of complaint. He unlocked the cuffs and the teen pulled them off quickly, tossing them on the table before he promptly removed his jacket. He tossed that aside as well, before sitting himself down on one of the two beds.

"Hmm, much better than Bone Village," the silver-haired male mused to himself, bobbing up and down experimentally on the matress. His green eyes watched Vincent as he crossed the length of the room, taking hold of his cuffs again. He knew what he was doing when he came back over to him. Kadaj defiantly crossed his arms, keeping his hands out of reach. His sinister green eyes, so much like the original, stared up at him, daring him to just try and remove his arms.

Cerberus was pressed against his chest. "Don't think I'll hesitate," Vincent threatened, "I don't trust you, or believe what you said about Aeris."

"You _are_ afraid of me," Kadaj whispered, narrowing his eyes.

"No, but I'm not taking any chances with you." He pressed the weapon more into his muscled chest.

Kadaj submitted in the end, presenting both his hands to him limply. "I'm beginning to think you enjoy this, Vincent: chaining me to a bed at gun point." His lips lifted into a smile, his eyes glinting seductively.

Vincent just stared at him, no expression on his face. He clapped the cuffs on his left hand, then secured the other cuff on the frame of the bed. Kadaj stared after him as he replaced the gun and walked away.

"Where are you going?" Kadaj called after him when he realised he was going toward the door.

"To get something to eat," he said, just before he disappeared out the door.

* * *

Vincent made his way back into their room, closing the door again and blocking out the sounds of the patrons gathering outside in the hallway. To his entrance, Kadaj lifted his head up from the pillow. He was sprawled out on top of the bed, above the covers. His boots were lying on the floor at his feet, everything about his appearance seeming relaxed.

Vincent locked the door behind him before he walked over to the bed and took a seat on his. Kadaj was now sitting upright, watching both him and the bag he carried. The both of them were silent as Vincent reached into the bag and took out the container that was set inside. The smell of the hot food seeped through the air, reaching not only his nose but Kadaj's as well. He saw a small smile touch the teen's lips, his stomach growling in anticipation.

Vincent pretended not to notice him and opened the container, letting the steam hit him in the face, before he took out a fork and began eating. Kadaj's eyes went from his food to the bag beside him, where his portion of food was no doubt waiting.

Or not.

His emerald eyes narrowed darkly. "What about me?" he asked, his tone telling that he really didn't expect much of an answer.

"First, I want some answers," he said.

Kadaj's expression didn't change. He crossed he legs and rested his free hand on his knees, his eyes locked with his. "Fine."

Vincent took one more bite of his food, chewing slowly. "What's your objective?"

"To eat," he replied bitterly.

Vincent's red eyes stared at him boredly, as he unbuckled the cloak from the bottom of his face so he could eat more easily. "That's not an answer."

"Well I don't have one for you. I have no objective."

"Then why did you come back?"

"Because Mother sent me back."

"Aeris?"

"Yes."

"I'm not buying it," Vincent said while staring at his meal, stirring the noodles absently.

"I know you're not, but what can I do about that? It's the truth."

Their conversation paused, Kadaj's eyes focused on his food as he continued to eat it, purposefully torturing the teen. "Don't you believe in second chances?"

Vincent met his eyes again, only to drop them after a moment. "What about your brothers?"

It was Kadaj's turn to drop his eyes, the emerald orbs growing distant. "I don't know," he said softly. "I don't know where they are."

"So mother Aeris just decided to bring you back and drop you in that pool, alone?"

"I guess so."

"Why not give the others a second chance too?"

"I don't know." He kept his eyes away from his, blinking them rapidly.

"You know what I think?" Vincent asked after a second.

Kadaj looked up at him, his eyes firm.

"I think Jenova brought you back, just like before."

Kadaj scoffed and shook his head.

"She didn't bother bringing them back because she didn't need them. Like before, all she needed was you to bring back her son: Sephiroth."

"That's not true," he said defiantly.

"Maybe she did give you a second chance-a second chance to try again and redeem the mistake you made by being so weak."

"If you really think that's true, then why did you bother saving me?"

Vincent didn't answer.

"Huh? What? You took me out of the water then carried be all the way to Bone Village because you thought I was just going to try and please Jenova again?"

Vincent took another bite of his food.

"It's my turn for questions," Kadaj said. "Why?"

Vincent sighed after a moment, setting his food down on the bed. He rose to his feet and reached into the bag, taking out the seperate container. "Because I pitied you," he answered, "I saw you there, helpless, defenseless, and cold. And I pitied you." He stepped closer to the bed, gazing into the teen's eyes. "I also saw you lying helpless on the ground after Sephiroth left you there to die, like a useless puppet. If you are really back to do his bidding, then I still pity you." He dropped the food and fork onto his lap.

Kadaj watched him as he turned away, then walked over to the switch on the wall. He turned off the lights, then climbed into his bed, not even bothering to finish his food. He set it on the nightstand before laying down for good, intent on sleeping away the rest of the stormy night. Kadaj watched him in the darkness, eating his food slowly.

* * *

Vincent awoke to the bright light coming through the window, the light that was white and intrusive, reflecting off the snow. He blinked a few times to fully rid himself of his sleepiness, then sat up from the bed. He looked immediately over to Kadaj, seeing the teen still sleeping, then looked to the window. He stood up and went over to it, gazing out at the town below.

He swore quietly, beneath his breath.

Junon was covered in snow. More than two feet covered the ground and roof tops, and still more snow continued to fall. At least it wasn't windy anymore, but this did mean he was snowed in. There was no way they could get to Midgar on a couple chocobos.

Pulling away from the window, he looked back down at Kadaj. He wondered what being trapped in a room with the boy would be like. Hopefully they wouldn't be there for more than a day, then he could rid himself of the remnant. He stepped closer to the bed, watching him intently. Kadaj was in a deep sleep, his eyes dancing behind his lids as his chest rose and fell rhythmatically. He was wrapped beneath the warm blankets, his face blank, yet his lips touched with the faintest smile.

He looked at peace as he slept, like an innocent child simply lost in the pleasant dream realm.

But Vincent knew he was far from an innocent child.

He turned away from him again and made his way over to the door, stepping out into the hallway. The hotel was mostly empty at this early hour, most of the occupants still asleep in their rooms. Faint, distant chatter could be heard, joined by the smell of food coming from the hotel's restaurant. But this was nothing to disturb him.

He reached for his belt and withdrew the phone, dialing a familiar number. He placed it against his ear as it rang, waiting for the person on the other end to pick up. He heard a click, then the groggy voice of another male coming to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Cloud," Vincent responded, "I have a problem."

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**A/N: Please review. :)**


	5. Chapter 5

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**Hello readers. Here's chapter five. This one was really short and not much was going on. I added a bit more to end, so hopefully it turned out ok. So yeah, enjoy...**

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_"Give him back!" she cried, "Give me my son back!"_

_Vincent watched her through the tank, watching her image waver through the water he was suspended in. His heart ached as he beheld her, crying out to Hojo and shaking him, crying for him to give her her son._

_Sephiroth._

_After what he was and what he had done, she wanted him. He touched the glass, realising he wasn't really in it at all. He was just watching from where he used to be, and everything that happened really hadn't happened yet at all._

_"Lucrecia," he tried saying, but the name was just beyond his lips. His fingers dug into the glass, longing just to touch her and to hold her, to dry up all her tears and give her the love she denied him. His fingers slipped, his hand dropping to the side. He just watched her as she cried, helpless._

Vincent felt himself awaking from the dream state, his mind disoriented for a moment. He looked around the hotel room, taking in the darkness that was encompassing it all. He remembered where he was, and was slightly alarmed to notice Kadaj sitting on the bed beside him.

The teen was on the edge, gazing directly down at him. In the dim moonlight coming through the window, he could see the his face, expressionless. He was perfectly still, looking as neutral as ever, making Vincent immediately want to expect the worse.

"What are you doing?" he demanded, pushing himself up in bed.

Kadaj didn't move, just smiled lightly. "Nothing."

Vincent laid his hand over Cerberus, fingering it reassuringly, just to make sure it was still there.

He must have drifted off without realising it. It was nearing twilight the last he remembered. He had reluctantly unchained Kadaj from the bed, but he left his hands bound together. From what he could tell, the boy was still in that predicament, but he didn't seem unhappy about it like before. He was just sitting there, uncharacteristically quiet. Vincent watched his serene face, seeing Sephiroth gazing back at him, those green eyes so much like his. Even the facial structure was identical. It was like Sephiroth was right there, sitting on his bed.

His existance still haunting him after all these years.

"Who's Lucrecia?" Kadaj suddenly asked, catching him off guard. Vincent didn't answer him, only stared at him intensely, trying to read his face to discover why he was asking. "You said that name while you were sleeping."

Vincent sighed, rubbing his face before he swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. "No one," he mumbled.

Kadaj stood after him, watching him as he walked away. Vincent suddenly realised it was rather cold in the room, colder than he remembered it. He then wondered why there weren't any lights on. He could hardly see. He turned back to Kadaj to ask him, but then noticed something else.

"You're shivering," he stated.

"Yeah," Kadaj said, a note of humur in his voice. "The power went out. The owner said they were trying to get the generator working."

"The owner came to our room?"

"No, I went to him."

Vincent stared at him wide-eyed. "You left the room?"

Kadaj chuckled softly. "Yes, I did. And you see, I came back."

"Why?"

"Why not?" he countered, a bit of a challenge in his voice. Vincent could only see his sillouette now that his back was to the window, and their only light source. He couldn't read him very well, but his stance alone exerted the confidence he knew him to have. "You see," Kadaj said, stepping away from him and walking over to his own bed. "I could have left if I wanted to. I also could have hurt you while you so carelessly fell asleep. But I didn't."

Vincent continued to stare at him, trying to find any hidden motives or tricks buried deep inside of him. Maybe he didn't leave because of the storm. No person in their right mind would go off alone into this weather. But still, he was right, if he wanted him dead, he could have easily done it.

The two of them said nothing more to each other. Vincent looked to the window, seeing the thick flakes of snow slowly falling down to the ground. The snow hadn't let up yet, and if it continued at this rate, they would be here all week.

That wasn't a comforting thought.

"So who was she?" Kadaj asked, breaking the small moment of silence.

Vincent didn't bother looking back at him.

"Lucrecia?"

He took a seat at the table in the corner, still thoroughly ignoring the teen.

"Is she your lover?" Kadaj persisted, laying flat on his back and looking at his silent companion out of the corner of his eye. His cuffs rattled as he tried getting comfortable. "Come on, Vincent, at least talk to me. It's getting rather boring in this room."

Wasn't that the truth.

"She's your mother," Vincent eventually spoke.

Kadaj looked at him with disbelief in his eyes. "_My_ mother?" He scoffed, turning his attention back to the cuffs, which he continued to fool with.

"She was Sephiroth's mother," he clarified, wondering why he was indulging the boy by speaking at all.

This time he caught Kadaj's attention though. The teen rolled onto his stomach, looking at him with interested eyes. "Sephiroth had a mother?"

Vincent turned his attention back to the window, watching the storm. "Yeah."

"And you knew her?"

"Yeah."

The remnant smiled softly. "Did you love her?"

Vincent now looked at him, having no intention of answering. The boy was staring at him so eagerly, fascinated by this information. His smile only widened, suddenly turning devious. "You did," he concluded. He rolled once again onto his back, staring up at the ceiling with a look that said he just found out something important, something he could use. He chuckled softly. "No wonder you pity me."

Vincent decided the conversation was over. His eyes went back to the window, to watch the falling snow.

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**Please review. :D**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hello, my lovely readers. I guess it's about time I warn you that the ending of this story is coming fast. Now when I first started this story, I wanted it to be a little longer. Gee, at least 10 chapters, not 7! But I unfortunately got extremely bored with it really fast. As you can see, all those two are really doing is sitting in a hotel room talking. As fun as it was to write, I very well couldn't make a whole story out of it...even though I kinda did. **

**Anyway...you nice people seem to be enjoying the story pretty well. If you want me to continue it past chapter 7, let me know. And please, if you have any ideas for me, share them. If I am going to continue it, I need to make these two do something besides TALK all day. Haha. Okay, well enjoy the chapter. :D**

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**Chapter Six**

Vincent sat up in bed. Dawn was just beginning to show, the bit of sunlight reflecting blue off the layer of snow on the ground. The flakes continued to fall, not making this day seem any brighter. On top of all that, the room seemed to be getting colder and colder. At the least the owner had managed to find them a small, battery powered lamp.

Kadaj had been quiet for most of the night. He sat in his own bed, huddled beneath the blankets. He couldn't tell if he was awake or not, but he kept sniffling and looked extremely cold. Vincent almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

Time wasn't something Vincent paid much attention to. It had been a while since he awoke to find the power off, but simply sitting quietly didn't bother him much. He didn't get bored easily, and after spending thirty years in a coffin, a few hours were nothing.

Kadaj sniffled again, causing him to look back at the teen. He wasn't surprised to find the boy's eyes open, the green irises looking a little angry as they stared directly at him. He wondered if he was really angry at him, or if he really was that cold. Kadaj sighed, turning over on his back, obviously bored of looking at him. However, the only other thing to stare at was the ceiling. Not much better.

The remnant suddenly sat up. He glanced at Vincent out of the corner of his eye, before he crawled out of bed. Pulling the thick blanket with him, he walked over to Vincent's bed, climbing onto it.

"What are you doing?" Vincent asked, almost about to draw Cerberus.

"I'm cold," he said rather bitterly.

Vincent settled with just placing his hand over the gun, as Kadaj crawled right up to him. He sat beside him on the bed, resting directly against his body as he pulled his blanket over the both of them. He huddled close, practically burrying his head against his chest. Vincent simply watched him for a moment, not completely comfortable with this idea, but understanding it.

"It's not that cold," he commented.

Kadaj scoffed, "Easy for you to say. You have that cloak on."

"Well where's your jacket?"

Kadaj sighed, obviously not wanting to talk right now. He just closed his eyes, "I don't remember."

Vincent was sure he could spot the jacket thrown on the floor, but decided not to say anything.

Kadaj was rested practically on top of his right arm, which kept him from drawing Cerberus if need be. But he figured he shouldn't have to, if all the remnant really wanted was to get warm. And he did look tired.

He was able to tell that the heat beneath the blanket was increasing. It _was_ more comfortable, but he would never admit that to the teen. Kadaj eventually stopped shivering, everything about him seeming to calm down as the two of them just sat there. Vincent found him eyes glued to the boy, taking in all the features of his face, in them seeing the face of Sephiroth resting against his chest.

Sephiroth.

He wondered where he would be now, how much everything would be different, if he hadn't failed all those years ago. If he had stopped Lucrecia. Would she still be alive? Would they be together? Would Sephiroth be his son? He would have been the one to rest against his chest, looking for warmth from his father . . .

Kadaj slowly opened his eyes, staring down at his chest. His face shifted against the front of his cloak as he looked up at Vincent's red eyes. The remnant's expression was blank, but he could tell he was about to say something.

"I don't want to go to Midgar."

He wasn't really expecting that.

Vincent made no reply, just looked away from the boy.

Kadaj pushed off his chest, still looking at him directly. "What can I do to convince you I really have changed?" he asked.

"You can't do anything," he said simply.

He felt his bound hands clawing at the front do his cloak, perhaps in frustration. "Nothing?" He leaned closer, trying to get him to look him straight in the eye. Vincent did what he wanted, but it did little to change his resolve.

"Call brother. Call Cloud," Kadaj suggested. "He would know."

"He feels the same way I do."

"No, he heard Aerith that day. He would know I've changed."

"We both know it would be safest to have you at WRO."

"I can't go there!" he suddenly snapped. Vincent noted there was something desperate in his eyes, accompanying sadness. "Please . . . " he let go of his cloak, letting his hands slide down his chest as he dropped his gaze. "I need to . . . "

"Need to what?"

"I need to find my brothers."

"They're alive, too?" Vincent asked, knowing that the teen was hiding something from him all along. He wouldn't let this opportunity go by without getting some answers.

"Yes," he said simply.

"Where?"

"I don't know, but I have to find them." He looked him straight in his eyes, pleading with him as he placed his hands back on his chest. "Please don't take away my chance."

Vincent just watched him for a moment, taking in the boy and his pitiful form. If this was all a hoax to try and get him to release him, just so he could continue what he was here to do last time, he really _did_ feel sorry for the boy. No one deserved to be used and thrown away like that again and again.

"If your brothers are alive, we'll find them."

Kadaj sighed, suddenly-angrily-crashing back into him to recapture the heat they had lost. He burried his face into Vincent's cloak again, latching onto him so tightly Vincent could have almost sworn he was embracing him. He was shivering again, but he wondered if it was still from the cold.

Vincent reached down and grabbed the blanket from his bed, pulling it up to cover the both of them. Kadaj lifted his head, his eyes now glassy.

"Do you want an apology?" he asked with a soft voice. "I'm sorry I destroyed so much. I'm sorry I didn't know better."

Vincent didn't reply, just held his gaze.

"I do have an objective, Vincent. My objective is, for the first time, to actually live."

He said no more, just burried his head once more against him. Huddled under the blankets, surrounded by warmth, Vincent let him remain there. With the sun steadily climbing into the sky, Kadaj eventually fell asleep, Vincent content to just remain there.

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**Please Review. :D**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi everyone! Thanks to everyone's encouragement and ideas, I have decided to continue the story. Yay! I'm not sure what exactly I'm going to do with it, but I've had several other FFVII story ideas that I think will fit real well if I just kinda insert them all in there. So I'll just kinda see what happens when I go with it. :D**

**So since this wasn't the last chapter anymore, I had to change a few things in it. So hopefully it'll still flow nicely. Oh, and since the rest of the chapters aren't written yet (obviously), I might not be able to post as quickly as I did before. I will do my best though! I'll try and pop one out every week.**

**So, enough of me ranting. Enjoy chapter seven.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.**

**Chapter Seven**

Vincent opened his eyes groggily, for a moment confused. What time was it? And when had he fallen asleep? He remembered Kadaj on his bed, and then...

The grogginess left him almost immediately, as he quickly sat up, suddenly jerked back down when he realised his right hand was bound to the bed. He looked back to see that it was Kadaj's cuffs that held him, and the next moment reached down to grab Cerberus. Like he expected, his gun wasn't there. Vincent looked over to where Kadaj was standing, illuminated by the dim light coming through the window.

The remnant had his arms crossed, his green eyes reflecting the light as he watched him, a devious smile on his face and Cerberus in hand. Vincent narrowed his eyes at him as he sat up again, this time mindful of his arm cuffed to the bed.

"Kadaj," he simply said.

The teen chuckled, walking around the bed to stand in front of him. "My turn," he said.

Vincent scolded himself quietly for being so stupid. He should never have allowed the boy in his bed. He acted as if he were innocently cold, but it was just a ploy. However he managed to cuff him without him waking up, he'd never know. He must have gotten the key from his pocket. Now that the gun was in his hand . . .

"What are you doing?" Vincent simply asked, though he wasn't sure what answer he was expecting.

Kadaj smiled, aiming the gun at him and pressing the tripple barrels into his chest. He forced Vincent to lay back down, his eyes betraying some pleasure as he held the elder man there, helpless.

"Does the fact that you are still alive mean nothing to you?" Kadaj asked.

Whatever small bit of hope Vincent had pertaining to Kadaj's reformation was completely crushed now, and the fact that he hadn't killed him yet made little difference now.

Kadaj sighed, pulling the gun away and taking a seat on the bed. He tilted his head to the side, staring at Vincent as if he didn't know what to do with him. Vincent continued to stare as well, though there was death in those red eyes.

"I'm not going to kill you, if that's what you're wondering," the remnant said. "I know you don't believe me, and I probably have no chance of convincing you now, but I was telling the truth. You just forced me to this, Vincent."

"So...?"

"So I'm leaving. I have to go find my brothers."

When Vincent made no reply, Kadaj sighed, leaning forward to bring his head closer to his. A half smile touched his lips and he seemed amused at Vincent's unenthused expression.

"Give me the key," Vincent ordered simply, though he knew Kadaj had no reason to do so.

"Why? You won't give me my freedom in return."

"I'll help you find your brothers."

Kadaj's eyebrows raised, as he drew back from Vincent again. He sat back on his knees, watching him closely. "And then what? You'd let us go?"

"Then I'll take you all back to WRO. I'll take you to Cloud, then he can decide what to do with the three of you."

The remnant smiled again, turning away and shaking his head softly. "I do owe you, Vincent," he eventually spoke, his tone soft. "You saved my life, brought me this far, even fed me."

"I can do more. Let me come with you. And if you come back to Midgar with me, it'll only prove that what you said was true-that you _have _changed."

He didn't answer him. His green eyes just continue to watch him, full of an emotion Vincent couldn't quite place.

"If you want to convince me, then you can do it now. Let me go," he continued

"I don't want to be a locked in a cell, Vincent. You know very well that is what they'll do to me and my brothers. Or worse." He bit down his emotion.

"They won't kill you."

"How can you assure me of that?"

"You said Cloud would know you had changed. If that were the case, then he wouldn't let them kill you. Neither would I. I promise."

He shook his head, looking away again. He was obviously in turmoil, confused and undecisive. "How can I trust you?"

"If you want me to trust you, then start by trusting me first."

Kadaj swallowed hard, his mouth opening to speak, but not saying anything for a moment. "But I'm afraid."

"Why?" He sat back up, slowly this time.

"I don't know. But something terrible is going to happen. I can feel it."

"What?"

"I don't know." His eyes fell down to Cerberus, as it sat idle against his knees. He held it firmly, his finger off the trigger. "But I have to find them."

Vincent didn't say anything. He knew he didn't have to. Kadaj set Cerberus down softly, his hand going into his pocket and pulling down the small silver key. Vincent watched it glisten in the dim light as he scooted closer to him, reaching for his cuffs. As he was in the midst of undoing them, his gaze locked with Vincent's again.

"If I find out you're lying to me in any way, I'll kill you, you know that?" he threatened.

"Likewise."

Kadaj suddenly chuckled, turning the key and snapping off the cuffs. "I knew I liked you."

He removed the handcuffs from the bed entirely, then suddenly threw them-key and all-across the room. They landed somewhere in the corner, hopefully to never be picked up again. With their new agreement, it was obvious Kadaj wasn't going to be wearing them anymore.

The two of them sat in silence for a moment, Kadaj looking a bit awkward, as if he didn't know what do now. Vincent doubted that either of them could get anymore sleep.

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

Kadaj looked at him, puzzled. "A little."

"I'll go get us something to eat. Preferably something warm. You have to promise to be here when I get back though."

Kadaj smiled, leaning back on his hands as Vincent got to his feet. "I promise."

The dark-haired man made his way to the door, his hand stopping over the handle as he turned and looked back at Kadaj. "It'll be morning soon, and it seems like the weather's letting up a bit. If you'd like, we could leave at dawn."

Kadaj looked surprised. "Already?"

Vincent nodded.

Kadaj thought for a moment, before nodding his head as well. "I'd like that."

"Alright then. I'll be right back."

Vincent left the hotel room, the door closing after him to leave the boy alone in the cold, dark space. He laid himself down on Vincent's pillow, his thoughts growing distant, focusing about the road ahead of him. He knew he would make it through somehow, and Vincent would be there with him.

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**A/N: Great, now I have to make something epic and awesome happen. Haha. Please review. :D**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hello people!**

**It was kinda strange picking this story back up after...11 months. Haha. But I enjoyed it. Hopefully you will too. :D This is the turning point, so the next chapter will be a little different from the previous ones. But hopefully in a good way.**

**Umm...I'm going on vacation next week, so I'm not sure I'll get any writing done then, and if I do, not sure if I'll be able to post it. I'll try and get another chapter in before then though.**

**So, yeah. Enjoy! :D**

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**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.**

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**Chapter Eight**

Vincent watched the remnant, examined him absently as he stood across the room, one leg propped up on the bed as he tied the laces to his boots. The light was barely starting to show in the sky, and already the boy was in a hurry. He found it amusing, and not the least bit unsettling. He guessed if he were in the same situation, he would be just as eager to find his brothers.

Still, he wondered where he was so eager to get to.

"Where _are_ we going exactly?" Vincent asked.

Kadaj lifted his gaze from his boot, meeting Vincent's eyes. Honestly, it was the first time _he_ had even thought of the question. "I'm not sure," he answered truthfully. With both boots secure, he stood on both feet, facing his unlikely comrade.

"So we're just leaving? With no idea where? In this weather?"

"It was your idea to leave so quickly."

Vincent couldn't exactly counter that.

"Don't worry," Kadaj assured, his signature smile on his young face. "You might not understand it, but I don't think we'll have to look very hard."

"Meaning...?"

"My brothers and I have a connection. From the moment I woke up in Bone Village, I was aware that they were alive as well. Even now I can sense them. They're out there, and our connection will bring us together. They may even be looking for me now."

"Hmph, maybe," Vincent commented.

"Meaning...?" Kadaj mocked, challenge in his eyes.

"You haven't considered that they may be in the same situation you were. What if they've awoken naked in this snow somewhere, only without someone to come by and help them? What if there's no one to clothe them and give them a place to sleep?"

"I'm not going to consider that," the teen replied, anger in his eyes.

"Or worse. What if someone _has_ found them? Someone who has no intention of taking them to Cloud or the WRO?"

"Then I'll make sure they regret it, alright?" Kadaj took a step closer to him. "I have no idea where my brothers are, but I'm going to assume that they're alright. We're strong. They'll survive. Just like I survived. Just like I would have survived anyway if you weren't there."

Vincent couldn't help but smile, scoffing slightly as he turned away from the boy. Kadaj saw his disbelief, but he didn't challenge him. He also turned away, calming himself down and forcing away the disturbing facts that Vincent had mentioned. He faced the window and the sunrise, watching the town of Junon come to life with the bettering of the weather.

"Do you have any gil?" the remnant suddenly asked.

"Why?"

"I need a sword."

Vincent looked at him flatly, crossing his arms. "Plan on killing anyone?"

Kadaj returned his flat stare. "I plan on defending myself. You know very well this world is full of dangerous creatures and equally dangerous people."

"I can defend the both of us."

"Well no offense, Vincent, but I would feel a lot better being able to defend myself."

He didn't reply, and obvious didn't intend on granting his request.

"Come on, don't make me beg."

Vincent thought he was more likely to throw a fit.

"If you don't give me the money, I'll just have to steal it."

"Well so much for your change of heart," Vincent commented.

"Hey, I'm trying. But you're making it very hard. Besides, I never promised to be perfect."

Vincent sighed, defeated. He reached for his belt and pulled off the small pouch of gil he carried. He tossed it to Kadaj, the teen catching it flawlessly in his left hand. A pleased smile touched his lips.

"Bring back the change."

"Thank you," Kadaj said, making his way to the door. "I'll be right back." He left quickly, making his way to the shop.

Vincent shook his head, once again wondering how he ended up here.

He crossed the room, bending down by the pair of handcuffs thrown in the corner. He picked them up and placed them in his pocket, along with the key he found just under the shadow of the bed. He didn't think he would have to use them on Kadaj again, but he figured he'd rather be safe than sorry. Besides, there _were_ dangerous people out there.

The phone attached to his belt suddenly rang, the tone flat and simple. Vincent pulled it out and flipped it open, reading Cloud's name displayed on the screen. He pressed the answer button, placing it against his ear.

"Cloud," he simply said.

"Vincent," the blonde's voice came from the other end, "How is everything?" he asked after a brief pause, as if he were wary about knowing.

"Surprisingly well. Where are you?"

"The weather had me stuck in Kalm. If you want, I can be there in a day. Or you can meet me here."

"No, that won't be necessary. I have a feeling we won't be headed your direction."

"Why not? Did something happen?"

Vincent took a moment before answering. "I've decided to help Kadaj find his brothers."

It was Cloud's turn to be silent. "Are you sure?" he asked eventually.

"Yeah. Kadaj and I made a deal. If I help him find Yazoo and Loz, they'll all come back with me to Midgar."

"Are you sure you can trust him?"

"No. But before that time comes, I'm sure I'll know."

"Whatever you want to do," Cloud said, "it's up to you."

Their conversation came to another moment of silence, both unsure if there was more to be said.

"I have a few more deliveries to make in town here, then I'll be heading back. If you want, I can meet up with you both," Cloud offered.

"I'll be fine. But I think you need to be careful, Cloud."

"Why?"

"I'm not sure. It was just something Kadaj said. It's probably nothing, but he said he had a feeling something terrible was going to happen."

"Did he say what?"

"No. But keep your eyes open. And if you happen to hear anything about Yazoo or Loz, let me know immediately."

"I will."

"I have to go," Vincent said, just as he heard the handle to the door opening. "I'll talk to you later."

"Alright. Just be careful."

"You too." Vincent closed his phone after that, replacing it on his belt just as Kadaj came back into the room. The teen had a sheathed sword rested against his shoulder as he stepped inside, a pleased look on his face.

"Talking to brother?" he asked, having noticed Vincent put away his phone.

"Yeah."

"I saw his number on your phone earlier. Is he going to meet us?"

"No."

"Hmm, a shame," the boy said, looking disappointed as he eyed his new weapon. "I wanted to see him again."

His eyes suddenly flashed up, his disappointment forgotten as he drew his blade, the metal ringing from the quick action. It was a single blade katana, a weapon much like the one he had carried before. Upon seeing him hold it, Vincent grew a bit wary.

"Have my change?" he asked.

Kadaj smiled, tossing him the pouch. It was empty. He sighed heavily, putting it back on his belt anyway. He was bound to gather more gil on their journey, with all those wild creatures carrying it around. **(A/N: Haha!)**

The remnant replaced his weapon, fastening the scabbard around his waist. He looked to Vincent, grabbing his jacket from the bed and throwing it over his shoulder. "You ready?"

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**A/N: Please Review. :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hello, people! Here's chapter nine. I've been meaning to put it up for about three days now, but I've been so busy. The vacation was put on hold for a day, so I figured I better get this up here while I have the chance. So please enjoy it.**

**And thanks so much for all the reviews everyone. :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.**

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Chapter Nine

The weather was cold, bone-chillingly so. It caused goose bumps to raise beneath her thick clothing, caused her nose to turn red and run. Tifa could only smile though. The cool air was refreshing, the virgin snow a welcoming sight to the drab city of Edge. Children laughed as they played in the streets, building snowmen and throwing snowballs at one another. Things were starting to look normal again.

She thought back to the sight, thought back to the simple pleasure she got out of watching them. She would have stayed there for hours and just enjoyed the scene. She would have even joined in if Marlene had wanted her to. But like the mature young girl she always was, Marlene decided to forgo the snowball fights for today. Today she would accompany Tifa on one of her regular trips to the abandoned church in the rubble of Midgar.

The two of them went there often. Most of the time it was just them both, but sometimes when Cloud was home, the four of them would go as a family. Denzel usually went when Cloud was with them, but now that the man was off on deliveries, he decided to stay home.

Neither she nor Marlene minded. It was time for the both of them to spend together.

She watched the young girl walking ahead of her, a bounce in her step as she moved, clothed in puffy garments, her braid swinging left and right. There was a light-heartedness she always had, one Tifa hoped would never go away, no matter what things she had gone through in her life. She would continue to grow and mature, but who she was would never change. She was sure of that.

Marlene glanced back as Tifa's slower steps had her falling behind. Tifa drew herself out of her reverie, smiling to her daughter as she picked up pace, falling into step beside her. They didn't speak. They didn't have to. Marlene just reached up, taking the hand that was offered to her. Together, they crossed the rest of the way to the church, their footsteps behind them in the snow.

"I was afraid we wouldn't come today," Marlene spoke as they walked through the damaged doors. Despite how destroyed and disheveled the building was, there was nothing that could diminish the beauty of the church.

"Why's that?" Tifa asked as the girl let go of her hand, running over to the pool set in the middle of the church. She stared down in awe at the water that was still liquid, despite the fact that it was snowing out.

"It's so cold out."

"Cold never bothered me much," she commented, half-interested in the conversation. Her eyes scanned over the rest of the structure, over the broken pews and discarded furniture, even over the Buster Sword Cloud had left there in memory. This church was always a place of sanctuary. She would never miss coming here over something as trivial as the weather.

Marlene's attention went next to the patch of flowers growing around the edge of the pool. She bent down and picked a few, collecting them as she always did when they visited. Tifa took a seat on one of the pews that was still intact, relaxing as she took in a deep breath of the cold air. She closed her eyes, letting her mind wander as she listened to the simple sound of the wind outside.

"Tifa!" Marlene's voice interrupted her thoughts so suddenly. The urgency in her voice made her spring to her feet instinctively.

The young girl was staring off into the corner, her eyes wide with shock and fear. Tifa quickly ran to her side to see what had her so alarmed, and when she discovered what it was, she found herself equally shocked.

Laying on the floor, hidden and sheltered behind a thrown-over pew was a man with silver hair and a muscular build-a man whose face she was all too familiar with, a man who she had met in this church before. It was only later that she had learned his name was Loz, but when she had met him, she immediately knew he was trouble.

She knew that now, even as he lay covered in blood and bruises, either asleep or unconscious.

Confusion was her second state of mind. What was he doing here? How had he managed to come back? And what happened to him?

She kept her hand on her daughter's shoulder, kept her protectively close. For the longest moment, the both of them just stood there, staring at him.

She didn't know what else to do.

As if to their presence, he shifted. A soft groan sounded in his throat as he opened his green eyes, wincing as he stared up at the bright light. He looked over the church, his eyes settling on them.

Tifa was prepared to run, but she knew full well that there was no need. This remnant of Sephiroth could not hurt them. Not in his condition anyway. She looked him straight in the eye, to show him she wasn't afraid.

He looked confused at first, before he opened his mouth to speak. But no words came out. He closed his eyes again, wincing because of his obvious pain. When he opened his eyes back up, there was something desperate in them.

"H-Help me..." he said weakly, his deep voice barely a whisper.

Marlene kept close to her, looking up to her for answers. But Tifa was just as bewildered.

Loz's eyes fell closed once more, this time not to open again, as he slipped unconscious. His erratic breathing continued as he shivered in the cold air, blood continuing to pour out of some of his fresh wounds. Tifa knew there was only one course of action to take. Even though his man was her enemy, she very well couldn't let him die. Not here, not like this. It just wasn't right.

"I want you to run home, Marlene," she said, turning to the young girl and taking her by the shoulders. She looked at her with reluctance in her eyes.

"Have Denzel call Cloud, tell him what we found. After that, have him call Reeve immediately. Can you do that?"

"Yes," she answered.

"Alright. Go on."

"But what about you?" she asked, warily looking between her and the unconscious remnant.

"I'll be fine." Tifa smiled reassuringly, even though she herself was a little unsure. She ushered the girl forward, back out of the church. She immediately ran, kicking up snow in her tracks. Tifa watched her till she was out of sight, then reluctantly turned her attention back to Loz. He was still out, and she hoped he would stay that way. It would make this much easier.

She quickly crossed the length of the church, going over to where the rolled up blanket and closed box were left in the corner. They were Cloud's belongings, things he had brought here after he left Seventh Heaven. He had returned to their home last year, but had decided to leave these things behind. She wasn't sure why, but she was glad. She desperately needed them now.

She carried both things over to where Loz laid, carefully setting them down beside him so she wouldn't wake him. She got on her knees a few feet away, examining his injuries more closely. He seemed to have gotten in a fight with some type of creature, which would explain the claw and bite marks all over his arms and legs. The simple pair of pants and shirt he wore were torn and stained with his blood. The wounds weren't too deep, but they were plenty.

Sighing heavily, she went to work, opening the box and pulling out the various items. There were several rolls of bandages, luckily, and one green materia. At first, she experimentally laid her hand on Loz's arm. When he didn't awaken to her touch, she took his wrist more firmly and lifted his arm, beginning to tie the bandages around his wounds.

She kept her eyes on his face the entire time she worked, ready to withdraw the moment he awoke. But he never did.

The walk home was about twenty minutes from there, and if Marlene ran, she would be there in half the time. With any luck, the WRO would be at the church shortly.

After tying the bandage around his arm, she turned her attention to the more serious wounds. She carefully undid the buttons to his shirt, revealing the marks that were hidden beneath. She gasped when she beheld four large claw marks that ran down his right side, over his ribs, exposing his raw flesh. She immediately folded up a section of the blanket, pressing it against the severe wound. He groaned softly as she touched the tender spot, but he still didn't awaken.

She wondered what had done this to him, and where it was. Was it here in Midgar, close by the church? Was it still alive or had he killed it? She hoped he had. There were many dangerous creatures lurking in the ruins, but there weren't many powerful enough to overpower someone such as Loz. She had fought him once before, and knew how skilled he was.

As she sat leaning over him, feeling his warm blood beneath her fingertips as it soaked through the cloth, she thought of that day. After everything he had done, she was here, trying to keep him alive. Wouldn't she be justified in just letting him die? He was dangerous after all.

And what about his brothers? Where were they?

She took the green materia in her hand, felt its power immediately. Her reluctance left her and instinct took over as the power in the orb came to life. She felt it resonating in the air between them, as it went to work on the unconscious man.

Loz took in a deep breath, at first seeming pained, but then relaxed as the pain slowly dissipated. The wounds beneath the bandages slowly closed up, the deep gashes and marks knitting back together. His flesh became flawless again, his muscled body unmarred.

Tifa withdrew the materia, setting it back in the box. She watched him carefully as his breathing became steady, the pain gone from his body. She removed the blood-soaked blanket and moved back from him some.

She had done her part. Hopefully she wouldn't regret it.

Tifa sat anxiously on one of the pews, the seconds slowly ticking by. She kept her eyes on Loz, watching the remnant sleep beneath the blanket she had laid on him. It had been over a half an hour. The WRO had yet to show up.

She wasn't very comfortable being here alone with him, especially now that she had healed him. But she couldn't leave. She had to make sure he wouldn't leave. She would wait until Reeve arrived.

She wished Cloud were at least here with her. He left Edge so suddenly the last time, saying he had some deliveries he needed to make in Kalm. She could tell there was something else behind his leaving, but he wouldn't tell her. Perhaps he knew something about the remnants that she didn't. If only he had told her, maybe she would have been more prepared for this. But that was Cloud for you, he never liked to involve her in things he thought he could handle on his own.

She could swear, every time things seemed to be getting better between them, they seemed to be drifting apart.

Tifa jumped when movement in the corner broke her from her thoughts. Loz woke up, and was now sitting up, looking down at his bandages in confusion. He looked to where his wounds once were, only to find them gone. He looked up at Tifa, meeting her stare.

Neither said anything.

He cast aside the blanket and slowly pulled himself to his feet, experimentally stretching all his muscles to make sure they were working properly. Tifa rose along with him, her fists curled and ready.

The remnant rolled his shoulder, smiling with satisfaction as he took a step closer to her. She took a step back, preparing herself for a fight.

A noise came in the night, the only other sound besides the wind. It was the sound of engines and tires, of approaching vehicles. She let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding, relieved that the WRO was finally here.

Loz knew it was trouble for him immediately. He looked through one of the holes in the wall and spotted the WRO vehicles. In that instant, he started running.

"Stop!" Tifa ordered. She took off after him, quickly standing in his path, blocking his way to the exit. But he plowed right through her, knocking her to the floor as he ran outside.

A second later WRO soldiers poured into the church, each one of them with weapons ready. Several followed in pursuit, others stayed behind to make sure the area was safe. Tifa pulled herself from the floor just as Reeve came running inside. The Commissioner came to her side, concern in his eyes.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she assured.

"Where is he?"

She shook her head, looking outside, in the direction he had run. "He's gone."

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**A/N: Mwah ha! Loz. Gah, hopefully I can make him act right. I can never seem to find the balance to make him childish, yet not stupid. Ah well, I'll see how it goes. So...please review. :D Reviews make me all fluffy inside.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hey peeps! Sorry this took me so long. I didn't have a chance to write while on vacation, then when I got back, I had a serious case of writer's block. lol I just couldn't figure out what to do with this chapter! Hopefully it turned out alright. Not much going on.**

**Anyway...Hope you all enjoy it. :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy or any of its characters.**

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Chapter Ten

"Are you sure you're okay?" Cloud asked over the line, concern in his voice. Tifa could almost imagine him pacing around wherever he was, looking like a nervous wreck.

"I'm fine," she assured, a light smile on her lips. "He didn't do anything."

"Did he say anything to you?" he wondered. "Anything about why he was back?"

"No. He didn't say anything at all. Except for asking me to help him."

Cloud was quiet at the other end, and she could tell there was something on his mind, something he wasn't telling her. She was patient and silent, waiting for him to speak again.

"Vincent found Kadaj," he eventually said. "He's been with him for about a week now. That was why I originally left. I was going to meet them, but with the weather, I got delayed."

It was her turn to pause. "Why didn't you tell me?" The question was simple, asked simply, no note of frustration or hurt in her voice.

"I didn't want to worry you. We don't know why he's here, or what he's really after, but he's been saying some pretty strange things. He claims Aeris sent him back."

Tifa was surprised. "Do you think that's true?"

"I don't know what to think," he said, exasperated. "Listen, I just want you to be careful, alright? I'll head home as soon as I can, but if you run into Loz again before I get there, don't be fooled if he tells you he's changed."

"Don't worry," she said, smiling despite how unsettled this whole situation had made her, "I'll be fine."

Cloud went silent again, not knowing how to end the conversation. There was more he wanted to say and tell her, but the words never came through the phone. Even though she waited to hear them.

"I'll see you soon," he said.

"Alright. Good-bye."

Cloud hung up, and she was left with a dial-tone in her ear. She slowly set the phone back down, her attention going to the window and the heavily falling snow.

It was only yesterday her and Marlene stumbled across the remnant in the church. The WRO had been searching for him since, but as far as she knew, they had come up with nothing. The thought of a remnant of Sephiroth being out there again was unsettling. They were all aware of the destruction they had caused the last time they were alive, and they knew how much more worse it could have been-how much worse it could still be.

She felt a shiver, but it wasn't from the cold weather outside.

She wished Cloud were here with her, not miles away and trapped by snow. Maybe then, she wouldn't feel so afraid.

Something terrible was coming, she could feel it. Whatever it may be . . .

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"Mother!" Kadaj suddenly yelled. He flung himself upright, abruptly ending his slumber. Vincent stared at him in confusion, watching him breathe heavily with cold sweat beading on his face.

The teen looked around the small cave they were in, disoriented for a moment. His memory came flooding back to him though, when he saw his companion and realized it had all been a dream. Whatever it was.

He let out a relieved breath, his head dropping low. He swallowed hard, rubbing his tired eyes. Looking a little embarrassed, he laid back down on his makeshift bed. His eyes met Vincent's as the man sat illuminated by the light of the small fire. He held his pillow tightly, looking away as Vincent's eyes asked silent questions.

"Bad dream?" he asked, not so silently.

"It was nothing," Kadaj answered immediately. He pulled his blanket over the bottom half of his face, blocking out the cold that was still coming in through the cave entrance.

They had been forced to take shelter when the weather once again took a turn for the worse. They were lucky to find this small cave, and got a fire going, making it warm enough to keep them alive. Kadaj had been the only one of them who was able sleep, though. Vincent's mind had been fully alert, leaving him to watch the young remnant as he tossed and turned in his slumber.

Getting the idea that Kadaj didn't want to talk about his nightmare, he took his attention away from the boy. He rested his head back against the cold cave wall, relaxing again.

It was only a short minutes before he decided to break the silence again. "Cloud called again."

Kadaj opened his eyes.

"Loz is in Midgar."

The teen sat up suddenly, surprised. He stared at him with wide eyes, as if he didn't quite believe him. Even though he had no reason to lie about this. After the initial shock wore off, it was replaced by smile. "Where is he now?" Kadaj asked.

"I don't know. He said he ran off, and they're trying to find him now."

"They?"

"The WRO."

Kadaj sighed heavily. His gaze fell to his hands sitting idle on his lap. Vincent watched him sit in thought for a moment.

"So I take it we _are_going to Midgar after all then?" he asked.

Kadaj lifted his gaze again, no longer undecided. Determination was in those emerald eyes. "No, we're not."

Vincent tilted his head slightly, confusion in his eyes.

"We're going to Healin."

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The small room was as silent as a tomb. The white walls surrounded him on all sides, encasing and suffocating him. He gazed at the absolute nothingness of his surroundings, at the blank walls and the one wall constructed of metal bars. He took it all in, examining it for the thousandth time. He looked for something he might have missed, something that would give him a clue how to get out of here.

Yazoo was growing bored.

It had been over a week now. Still, nothing changed. He had been in this small cell the entire time. The only time he ever saw a different place was when he was moved into a different room for interrogation. But that place was no better, after all, the walls were the same, and on top of that his hands would be bound.

At least in here he had the freedom to move around some.

Not like he was taking advantage of that though. Right now he was laying down on the bed, his head rested on his folded arms. He stared up at the blank ceiling, waiting for his next meal to come. His captors had quite a strict schedule when it came to him, and he knew that in any moment now, someone would come through with some food. He would eat, then he would be back exactly where he was now.

Unless he could turn the situation around somehow.

The sound of the door opening at the end of the hall pulled his attention back to the present. He sat up slowly, his heavy eyes watching as the footsteps grew closer. A soft smile touched his lips, breaking his stoic expression as the pale, red-headed Turk came into view.

This was a pleasant break in the schedule.

Yes, he would find a way to turn this around.

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**A/N: Yazoo. Tada! I didn't actually want to introduce him that quickly, but eh. It'll work. Please review. :D**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Hey peeps! The reviews for the last chapter. Wow, you all loved Yazoo. Ha ha! I love him, too. I'll try to do him justice in the coming chapters. And really, thanks for the reviews. They were some of the best ones so far. :D**

**Anyway...enjoy the next chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.**

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**Chapter Eleven**

Why was she even out here? It must have been the tenth time she asked herself that. And every time, she could never come up with an answer.

Tifa walked along the snow-laden streets of Midgar, completely alone in the city that once stood tall and proud. It was now nothing more than a large pile of rubble. Yes, reconstruction had started, and each month Edge grew, engulfing the destroyed buildings, but she doubted this place would ever return to the way it once was.

It had all been because of Sephiroth.

She brought herself to a stop, looking up at the afternoon sky. The snow had stopped for now, but she knew it would start up again. It had been doing so for over a week now. They hadn't had a storm this bad in years.

She sighed heavily, once again asking herself that question. She walked around the area that once was a park, a playground where children used to play. She took a seat on the snow-covered bench.

It had been over two hours since she left home. No doubt the kids would begin worrying about her, now more than they would have a week ago. Now that they knew Loz was nearby, they had become more afraid. And Denzel, in Cloud's absence, grew protective of his family, taking it upon himself to make sure they were alright. Normally, it would have been sweet to witness, but with the situation, it just reminded her of how unnecessary it was. If only Cloud were here.

She tried not to be angry at him. He had left for a good reason, and he was only away now because the weather had kept him away. He would never willingly abandon his family, not anymore.

Her attention was pulled from her thoughts. Something was stirring nearby. She stood to her feet, looking behind her, in the direction of the noise. She prepared herself, ready to fight off whatever it was that was there. Whether it was Loz, or just some wild creature.

The second she took to prepare herself was hardly enough. Within the blink of an eye, it was upon her. All she saw was a flash of movement, before she instinctively jumped back. She landed on her feet a few meters away, staring at the hound that was now before her. Its red eyes flashed with a malicious hunger, its tale whipping in anticipation. It snarled at her, baring its sharp fangs before it charged once again.

She jumped out of the way a second time, moving quickly to avoid its snapping fangs as it continued to advance towards her. She remained calm, managing to avoid it while looking for an opportunity to strike. She found it, swinging her leg around and kicking the creature square in the head. It was knocked back from the blow, falling to its side with a soft whimper.

Tifa took a step back, breathing heavily as she watched it carefully. Her blow had barely wounded it. It rose again, shaking its head before its eyes fell on her once more. It stared at her for a moment, before it lifted its head, letting out a loud howl.

Her stomach sank, her heart skipping in her chest when she heard the sound of trampling in the distance. It wasn't long before she beheld a whole pack of the hounds, about seven of them all gathered around her, staring at her with that same hungry look.

She took off running without a second thought. Immediately, they followed after her. She got halfway down the street before she glanced behind her, and at the right time. One of the hounds leaped at her, soaring through the air, its fangs ready to sink into her neck. She spun herself around quickly, kicking the creature back, just as the rest came at her.

She struck left and right, keeping them at bay as they attacked, circling and snapping at her. She let her body move without any thought, not allowing herself to realize how terrified she really was.

Tifa screamed loudly, pain shooting up her leg as one of the creatures reached her, sinking its teeth into her leg. She slammed both her fist down on its head, hitting it hard enough to dislodge it from her calf. She was forced to lift her arm a second later, knocking back another creature that attacked her from behind. She leaped into the air again, flipping back and landing a good distance away from the pack. But she landed awkwardly on her wounded leg, more pain running through it. She gritted her teeth, lifting her fists.

They all came at her again, a rushed flurry of teeth and fangs. She managed to repel them for a while, but she found herself tiring quickly, the blood pouring profusely from her wound.

One of the creatures broke through her defenses, its mouth grabbing hold of her upper arm, its long claws digging into her shoulder and back. She cried out, slamming her free hand on the top of its head. It took a few strikes, but it broke loose, just as another bit at her already injured leg. She kicked it away, stumbling to the ground. All of them bore down on her, closing in on her, blocking any chance of escape.

She was sure she was going to die out there.

But the second she had that thought, her luck changed. She heard a sound that was akin to a battle cry, as one of the hounds was pulled off of her, whimpering as it was thrown across the street. Three more were knocked off of her by kicks and punches, the other three turning to the newcomer who had rushed to save her life.

She stared in shock as Loz stood over her, using his power and strength to fight off the creatures.

The remnant moved with the speed and skill she remembered. He bludgeoned one creature with both his fists, snapping its neck. The next he grabbed by the back of the neck, throwing it with such a force that its body broke upon contact with the street. The other he punched and kicked until it was no longer capable of rising again. With adrenaline pumping through his body, he turned to the rest of the pack, ready to fight them as they circled him.

He stared them down, a smirk on his face.

One of the hounds backed up, looking at its opponent warily, before it turned around and ran. It wasn't long before the other three followed, leaving the two of them alone in the streets with the bodies of their dead comrades.

Tifa was still in shock. He pushed herself back with her injured arms, groaning and breathing heavily from her pain. She didn't care how much it hurt her though. She had to put some distance between her and Loz.

For the first time, he looked down at her. She pushed herself back as far as she could, backing herself against a wall. Loz watched her, a small smile on his face as he examined the state she was in. He shook his head, before closing the space between them.

Without much warning, he reached down and took her firmly by her good arm. He wrapped it around his neck, before he slid his arms beneath her back and legs, lifting her from the ground.

"Stop," she said weakly, as her head spun from the quick movement. She pressed her head against his chest to stop the spinning as he began walking, taking her away from the blood-stained street. "Put...put me down," she ordered, her mind going foggy as her vision began to blur. The pain was terrible, her body fatigued, the loss of blood too great. There was only one course of action for her to take, and she passed out.

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**A/N: Yeah, those creatures were supposed to be something I remembered from Dirge of Cerberus. They were called Guard Hounds, I think. Anyway, hope you liked that! Please review. It makes me happy, and pumped to write more. :D**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Hello everyone!**

**Sometimes when I read fan fictions, I come across summaries that say "Warning: Loz has a brain in this one!" I guess that could be true for this story, too. Ha ha! I find it hard trying to find that right balance, making him childish but not overly so, or not just stupid. So, I hope I got him right. :D**

**Anyway, enjoy the chapter. **

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**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.**

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**Chapter Twelve**

Tifa opened her eyes slowly, pain immediately assailing her head. She was forced to close them again, wincing as all the aches and pains in her body reminded her they were there. For a moment, she couldn't remember clearly how she had gotten them.

Then it suddenly came back to her, and in an instant, she was sitting up. She regretted the sudden movement the moment she made it, every wound yelling at her in protest. She cried out, instinctively placing her hand over her wounded arm. She was surprised to find herself touching bandages, not blood. Her jacket had been removed, her bloody sleeve torn off to make room for the cloth that had been tied around her wounds.

She also marveled at her leg, and how it had been similarly taken care of. She cautiously looked to the right, to the crackling fire and the silver-haired man who was sitting beside it, staring at her.

He didn't say anything. Neither did she. She simple looked around the room, wondering where she was. It was an old, run-down building, obviously still in Midgar.

"Where are we?" she asked, to get better specifics.

"We're still in Midgar," he answered simply. But she already knew that.

"Why did you bring me here?"

"Well I couldn't exactly go back to the church," he replied, his eyes looking at her flatly, a note of annoyance in his voice.

She looked back down at herself, at her bandages and the blanket that had been placed over her. She had been laid on some makeshift bed, something that was far from comfortable but took some effort to make.

"Now we're even," he commented dryly.

"What are you going to do with me?" she asked.

"Nothing." He rose from his place by the fire, walking over to stand before her. "But I can't let you go. You'll send more of those soldiers after me."

"Could you really blame me?" she snapped, before she even thought. She knew it wasn't a smart idea to argue with him, or antagonize him in any way. She was at a major disadvantage here.

He simply snickered though, stepping away from her and crossing the room. He went to a box in the corner and started going through it, but Tifa couldn't tell in the darkness what he was pulling out.

It was already nighttime now. She must have been asleep for quite while, hours probably. The children would be worried sick. And their worst fear had come true: Loz had gotten her. But not in the way any of them thought he would.

The remnant walked back over to her, and in the firelight she could see what he was holding in his hands. It was food.

He tossed a roll of bread on her lap, followed by an ice cold apple. He didn't say anything, before he sat down cross-legged a few feet away, watching her seriously. She took the food in her hand, confused as she held it.

Why had he saved her life? Was it merely because she had saved his? Even so, she never expected him to have that sort of honor. So what was it? Was what Kadaj said really true? Was something different this time?

"Why are you back?" she asked. She shrugged, smiling an ironic sort of smile. "To do what you did last time?"

"I'm here to do Mother's will," he answered, pride in his eyes as he said it.

"And who is your mother?" she asked, hopeful and afraid of his answer.

He smiled again. "Jenova."

She was silent, her head dropping in disappointment. So it wasn't true. She didn't know why she was hoping it was. Aeris would never send these men back to the earth, they had already caused enough damage. But still, she couldn't help pity the remnant, caught in his desperate desire to please his mother.

"Eat," he simply ordered, quickly growing impatient with her.

She met his eyes again, confident and defiant, no longer hoping for a change. "You know if you keep me here, my friends will come looking for me."

"Hmph. Let 'em. I'll be long gone before then."

He stretched his muscular arms, letting himself fall back to lay down on the wooden floor. He rested his head on top of his arms, closing his eyes to rest. Tifa watched him for a moment, before she ate from the bread he gave her.

Whether or not she was hungry wasn't really the issue. She needed to get her strength back if she were to try and escape from him.

It had gone further into the night. The silence of the destroyed city was all around the small building. Tifa lay wide awake, her eyes closed, feigning sleep. Slowly, she opened them, looking to the spot where the remnant slept, carelessly snoring the night away.

She sat up carefully, fighting the urge to groan from her wounds. She set aside her blanket and faced the cold air, as she slowly climbed out of her makeshift bed. She kept her eyes fixed on Loz, watching him as she pulled herself to her feet.

She bit her lip, fighting against the pain in her leg. She limped slowly across the room, feeling the wound re-open and blood flood the bandages. She ignored it though. She just had to get away from him. Once she got to safety, she could take care of her wound properly.

She made her way to the door, pushing it open on its rusted hinges. They squeaked some, but the noise was drowned out by the sound of the wind howling outside. As she opened the door enough to see through, she beheld the storm that was raging outside. It had picked up once again, and she would be forced to walk through it, wounded and missing her only jacket. Why hadn't she thought to grab it? Where did he put it anyway?

She couldn't risk searching for it now, and she couldn't stand the thought of putting more wear on her leg. She decided to push forward anyway.

She left the building, and entered the storm. Immediately, she longed for the comfort of the warm, small space. But she wouldn't let herself turn back.

She trudged through the snow, shivering as the wind blew her hair in her face. She supported herself against the wall, trying to keep the weight off her right leg. She cried out softly, the cold only making her wounds that much more unbearable.

When she could no longer stand it, she fell to the ground, her knees sinking into the snow. She groaned loudly, trying to make her way through the pain, but it was no use. She held herself, curling into a ball.

It was hopeless, wasn't it?

She looked back at the door she had left open, surprised when she saw Loz's broad frame standing in it, his eyes staring at her seriously. She only watched him as he drew closer, too cold and in too much pain to try and escape. He stared down at her for a second, neither amused nor angry as he reached down, grabbing her good arm like he had done before. But instead of cradling her in his arms like he did the last time, he simply threw her over his shoulder, carrying her back inside.

He kicked the door shut with his foot, setting her rather harshly back down on her bed. "You're crazy," he said.

She just glared at him, making her wounded leg comfortable as she let the chill slowly wear off of her. She pulled the blanket back over her body, capturing her own warmth once again.

Loz stared at her from across the room, contemplating something. A second later, he came back over, reaching down for her. This time, she pushed him away.

"It's warmer by the fire!" he explained in a frustrated tone.

She didn't reply. She also didn't fight him a second time, as he scooped her up in his arms, carrying her the short distance to the fire. He set her close by, then returned to the place he had been perched earlier.

Tifa held her hands out to the flame, letting it slowly bring her warmth back. Loz stared at her the entire time, watching her as if she were some enigma that eluded him. It was almost unsettling, wondering what exactly was going through his mind.

"You should sleep," he said suddenly.

"...Why?"

"Whenever I hurt, I sleep. When I wake back up, the pain isn't so bad."

She thought for a moment, wrapping the blanket around her shoulders and resting her head on her knees. "Maybe I will," she said quietly, barely heard over the wind. "It's not like I'll be going anywhere."

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**A/N: Please review. :D**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hello everyone! Here's the next chapter. Um...I don't think there's much to say. Usually I like to give myself a day to step back and proofread on a refreshed mind, but I kinda proofread this right after writing it. And sometime that doesn't work so well. But hopefully it did this time. :D So, enjoy it! And as always, thanks for the reviews.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.**

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**Chapter Thirteen**

Tifa slowly opened her eyes, greeted by the sound of birds chirping and the sight of sunlight coming through the windows. The fire was dying out, nothing but embers left on the pile of ash. Loz was where he had been when she fell asleep, sitting against the wall.

He was awake before she was, apparently doing nothing.

She sat up carefully, her body sore from having slept on the hard floor. But her wounds didn't hurt so much, which was rather relieving. She stretched out her arms, careful not to agitate the teeth marks on her arm.

Loz rose from his place on the floor, not saying anything as he made his way back over to the box in the corner, pulling out more food. Tifa took the last few seconds to shake herself awake fully, before he came back to her. Another apple and roll were deposited on her lap, the remnant keeping one roll for himself and chewing on it hungrily.

"Where did you get all this stuff from?" Tifa wondered.

Loz shrugged. "I took it."

"From where?"

He shrugged again. "People."

"You mean you stole it then?"

He smiled, crumbs on the corner of his mouth. "Hey, I have-"

He stopped suddenly, his words being cut off by a distinct humming sound that Tifa was familiar with. She watched, surprised, as the young body of a girl appeared from nowhere. She stood behind Loz, her eyes glowing orange, two glowing orange sabers in her hands, one of them pointed at the back of Loz's neck.

"Shelke!" Tifa exclaimed, relieved that she had found her, but frightened that she was brought into this situation.

Shelke shared none of her fear though. Her glowing eyes stared directly at her opponent, full of anger at the thought of this man hurting one of her friends. Though she still remained so small, especially in comparison to Loz, her anger and determination made her a powerful force if necessary.

Loz looked back at her, out of the corner of his eye, evaluating his foe.

"Don't move," Shelke ordered in her calm, monotonous voice.

Loz smiled, amused.

Quickly, he spun around, swinging his fist right for her head. But the girl was fast, leaping out of the way before he had even turned around fully. She flew towards the wall, landing with her feet planted against it, before she propelled off, sending herself flying towards Loz. She swung her right saber, hitting him directly in the head with the blade. Stunned, he stumbled back, crashing to the floor, disoriented.

Shelke landed back on her feet, both her sabers pointed down at him. "I won't tell you again."

Loz scoffed, rubbing his aching head and looking at her in confusion. Obviously, she was more than he expected. But Tifa knew the skill of the both of them, and she knew what a battle between them would look like. She had no desire to witness it.

"I'm taking you to the WRO," the girl explained, no emotion in her voice whatsoever. "There you will answer for your crimes."

Loz flung himself up within an instant.

"Stop!" Tifa cried, watching him take another swing at her.

Shelke ducked out of the way, then went to strike him again. But Loz was aware of her skill level now, and was able to evade her. Tifa watched in fear and horror as the both of them moved faster than she could keep track of, defending and attacking. Shelke suddenly vanished, reappearing an instant later two meters to his left. He swung at her, but his blow was too late. She struck him in the back, causing him to convulse shortly as she spun around to face him head on again.

She lifted her sabers to strike his head again, but he lifted his arm, blocking the attacks. The electromagnetic energy still shocked him, but he withstood it this time.

Without any warning, he crouched down, before pushing off the floor and propelling himself through the ceiling. He broke through the weak structure, wood and mortar raining down.

Loz disappeared from sight as the ceiling quickly crumbled, coming down on them. Shelke quickly ran over to the corner where Tifa lay, covering her body with her own as the building crashed around them. The both of them held onto each other, even as the crumbling subsided.

In a few short seconds, it all stopped. Shelke slowly pulled away from her, the both of them looking at the pile of rubble that used to be the roof, laying all over the floor. They were lucky the section above them hadn't collapsed as well.

Shelke turned back to her, her eyes slowly going back to their normal blue color. "Are you alright?" she asked.

Tifa nodded, swallowing hard and regaining her composure she had lost. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"What did he do to you?" the girl asked, examining her wounds.

"He didn't do this. I was attacked by some creatures. He saved my life, actually."

Shelke stared at her strangely for a moment, before replacing one saber in its holster and reaching for her phone. She quickly punched in a number, then waited until the voice at the other end answered. "I found her."

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Yazoo woke with a start, finding himself covered in cold sweat. He looked hurriedly around his cell, taking it all in, making sure it was all real. The dim reality of his situation was at least more comforting than the dream he had awakened from.

He sat up slowly, rubbing his aching head. He looked beyond the bars, into the hallway. There was no one there, at least not anyone in sight. He wondered why that thought made him so uncomfortable. It wasn't like he enjoyed seeing his captors watch him every single day, their eyes on him every single second, waiting for him to try something. Especially that red-head, Reno. He was more irksome than the rest of them.

The silver-haired remnant pulled himself to his feet and faced the bars, absently wrapping his bare hands around the cold metal. He had tried several times to break them, and had failed each of those times. He wasn't going to try again, yet for some reason, standing close to the edge of his prison made it seem like escape was at least plausible.

A door in the distance opened and footsteps made their way down the hall. Yazoo rested his head against the bars, lifting his eyes to watch Reno as he came into view, standing across from him.

"You gonna try it again?" the Turk asked, referring to his feeble attempt to escape.

Yazoo didn't answer him. He only smiled, a smile that left the Turk wondering. He remained silent, knowing it would only be a matter of hours before something happened, and before his escape would be realized.

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"Are you sure about this?" Vincent asked. He stood right at the tree line, beneath the bare branches of Healin's forest. Snow fell lightly around them, coating the roads and even the building in the distance with another soft layer.

Kadaj stood beside him, his arms crossed, watching Healin Lodge as if it were his worst enemy. "Yes," he answered. "Yazoo's in there."

Vincent didn't even bother trying to understand the connection he had with his brothers, nor did he even have Kadaj try and explain it. He believed him though. They shared a rather distinct DNA. It was only logical to assume they were a little more aware of one another.

"You know we can't just barge in there and get him out," Vincent pointed out.

"Why not?" the teen asked, though he knew what the answer would be.

"First of all, we'd be out-numbered. And secondly...that isn't the right way you go about things, not when you're trying to convince people that you're _good._"

Kadaj looked at him crossly, not in the mood for his patronization. "Then what do we do?"

Vincent thought for a moment, his attention going back to the Lodge. "I'll go talk to ShinRa. But I want you to stay here."

"Why?"

"Because I think I'll have a better chance of getting your brother out if you're not there. And unlike with me, I don't think you're going to have as much success trying to convince him of your change of heart."

Kadaj smiled deviously. "So you _do_ believe me?"

"You're staying here. Promise me, or I'll handcuff you to a tree."

The teen eyed him challengingly for a moment, before complying. "Alright, I promise."

Vincent nodded, before stepping out of the line of trees, making his way to the Lodge. He glanced back at Kadaj one more time. The remnant crouched down in the snow, waiting patiently as his comrade made his way inside.

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**A/N: Please review. :)**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Hi everybody! Sorry for the wait. I've been so busy lately, the busiest I've been in a long time. Hopefully this chapter is worth the wait. I really enjoyed writing it, so hopefully you will enjoy it too. :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.**

**Chapter Fourteen**

"What a pleasant surprise," Rufus ShinRa commented. A soft, amused smiled was on his face, as he sat back casually in his chair. He evaluated Vincent as he stood before him, the brooding man as unreadable as ever. Standing just behind the president and his desk was Rude, the Turk silent and threatening as ever.

Vincent took them and the vast room in rather quickly. He didn't want to spend any more time here than he had to, and only hoped that everything would go smoothly. And that _something_ would be accomplished by this visit.

"What can I help you with, Vincent Valentine?" ShinRa continued, sensing his mood.

Vincent shifted his weight on his feet, letting out a long breath. "I have reason to believe you have one of the remnants of Sephiroth in your custody."

Rufus lifted a brow. "Really? Who told you this?"

Vincent didn't answer him. He just continued to stare.

"I don't know where you got your information. But even if it were true, I'm not sure how that would concern you."

"Sephiroth is a serious threat; it would concern everyone. And if you do have him, I'm here to tell you that you should hand him over to Tuesti."

"Reeve? At the WRO? I think I'm a little insulted. Don't you think we would have the resources enough to handle a single fragment of Sephiroth?"

The side of Vincent's mouth lifted in a dry smile. "I'm not very confident. After all, this whole problem did stem in your company."

"Ah yes, and you know this more well than most. After all, you were there." The smiled remained on his face as he leaned further back into his chair, resting his elbow on the armrest.

Vincent didn't respond to his comment. "Let's stop playing games, ShinRa. I know you have him here."

Rufus' smile dropped. He glanced back at Rude briefly, before sitting himself straight. He placed both his hands together, now resting his elbows on the desk. "Yes, Yazoo is in our custody. Reno found him wandering naked near the Northern Cave. The only logical course of action was to bring him here and try to learn as much as we could from him."

"And what did you learn?"

"Nothing. He's rather resilient to our forms of...interrogation."

"I'm sure. And how long ago did you find him?"

Rufus shrugged. "A little over a week. Now tell me, Vincent, what are you _really_ doing here?"

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Yazoo laid back in bed, both his hands together, resting on his stomach. He stared up at the ceiling, listening to the soft noise of Reno absently tapping his weapon against his leg. It was obvious the Turk was bored, unaccustomed to watching the prisoners. He was the type who usually liked being kept busy, who would have preferred to be anywhere but here.

Yazoo smiled softly.

"What are you smiling at?" Reno asked.

Yazoo turned his gaze to him, watching him as he sat on a chair, his leg propped up on it, the rod hitting his shin. "I was just remembering when we fought before, and how I beat you so miserably."

"You're confused," Reno replied, "_I_ beat _you_."

"Really? Why don't you let me out of here so we can have a rematch?"

The Turk clicked his tongue, letting both feet fall to the floor. "Nice try."

Yazoo turned his attention back to the ceiling, the smile still on his face. He closed his eyes, pretending to try and rest. A few minutes passed by in silence, before Reno stood up from his chair, speaking again.

"I bet you're just itching to get out of here."

"Yes, I am." He opened his eyes, sitting up from his position on the bed.

"Mother calling you?"

"Yes." He made his way over to the bars, slipping his arms through them and letting them drape. "But don't worry. She won't have to call much longer. I'll be out of here soon enough."

"Really?"

"Uh huh. And when I escape, you'll be the first to know. After all, it'll be on your watch."

Reno clicked his tongue again. "I don't think so." He turned around, turning his back to the cell, about to walk away. He was about to talk some more, to taunt his prisoner. But he never got the chance, before Yazoo reached out for him, grabbing him by his collar.

He yanked him back, slamming his back against the bars and quickly wrapping his other arm around his neck. He held him firmly, cutting off his supply of oxygen. The remnant smiled sinisterly, as Reno squirmed under his hold, trying to get away.

He swung his arm back, using his rod to try and attack Yazoo. It hit the bars loudly, his attack panic-driven and uncoordinated. Using his free hand, Yazoo took hold of his flailing arm, twisting it through the bars and threatening to break it. Reno tried to scream from his pain, but he couldn't get the noise passed his closed throat. The remnant tightened his hold on his neck even further, feeling the strength slowly drain from his opponent.

"Reno!" the woman's voice called from the end of the hall. She quickly ran up to the cell, holding a gun level with Yazoo's head. "Let him go!" she ordered.

Yazoo quickly stepped back from the bars, unlacing his hold from the Turk. Reno gasped loudly, falling to his knees and holding his bruised neck. He coughed as he tried to regain his lost air.

"Are you alright?" Elena asked, looking between him and Yazoo, hate in her eyes. The remnant smiled softly, taunting her to make a move, as he stepped up to the bars again.

"You son of a bitch," Reno coughed, pulling himself back to his feet. Elena slowly lowered her gun, relieved he was alright. He stepped closer to the cell, staring bitterly at the prisoner.

"So tell me, who won this time?" Yazoo asked.

Reno's reply was a quickly strike through the bars. The metal rod made contact with Yazoo's face, sending him tumbling backwards. He landed on the bed, shocked for a moment. He regained his composure as he placed his hand over his nose, collecting the stream of blood running from it. He handled his pain well, looking unaffected now as he approached the bars once more.

"Feel better now? Attacking an unarmed prisoner, how cowardly. I'd like you to try that without these bars between us."

"Come on, Reno," Elena said, trying to get him to leave.

"But of course, you'd never do that. You just enjoy being a spineless bitch."

Reno yelled, striking through the bars again. Only this time, Yazoo anticipated his move. He swerved out of the way, as he simultaneously grabbed hold of his weapon. Before Reno was even aware of what was happening, Yazoo yanked on his arm, pulling his body once again against the bars. He quickly twisted the rod around, yanking it from his gasp.

Elena lifted her gun once again, ready to fire on him. Yazoo threw the rod through the bars, aiming precisely. It struck the woman directly in the head, knocking her onto her back.

"Elena!" Reno called. He looked from his fallen comrade to the prisoner in the cell, and his satisfied smile. "You bitch!" he cried, charging towards the cage.

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Vincent and Rufus' conversation was abruptly cut short when a loud alarm sounded through the lodge. Vincent looked around, confused. His gaze went back to ShinRa and his Turk, a troubled look on the President's face.

"What is that?" Vincent asked.

"The prisoner," Rude answered, leaving his spot by the president and heading out of the room. Vincent watched him leave, before turning to Rufus. The president rose quickly, following after the Turk, giving Vincent silent permission to follow.

The three of them made their way through the large complex, taking the stairs down to the lowest level. The alarm blared even louder as they got nearer to the detention area, and Vincent looked down in horror at the path of destruction that was leading the way there. There were several Turks lay on the floor, only a few of them conscious. Vincent drew Cerberus.

"Reno!" Elena's voice was heard over the alarm, full of fear and terror.

They quickly ran to the cell area, and Vincent stared in shock at what he saw. Reno stood on his knees with a blade through his chest, blood dripping to the floor beneath him. Behind him was Kadaj, the blade held firmly in his hand, rage in his eyes.

"Kadaj!" Vincent yelled.

Kadaj looked up, panic flashing in his eyes for a moment. He acted quickly, pushing Reno away from his blade and grabbing hold of Elena, yanking her injured form from the floor. He backed up into the cell, standing protectively over his brother, who lay unconscious on the floor. He held his sword to the woman's neck, as a group of Turks all rushed in after the president, circling the cell with their weapons aimed at Kadaj and Elena.

The room fell silent. The only noise was Kadaj's heavy breathing and Reno's gasps of pain, as he lay bleeding on the floor.

Kadaj's eyes shifted from person to person, watching their hands on their triggers, ready to take him down. He shook all over, his sword grazing Elena's neck.

"Kadaj," Vincent said again, this time more softly. He stepped through the crowd of people, standing before the teen, Cerberus aimed at his head. Kadaj turned his attention to him, his eyes still full of anger. "Kadaj, put the sword down."

He shook his head, gripping the hilt more firmly. "I can't. They hurt him!"

"I know," he replied, "but getting yourself killed won't change that. And you know there's no way around that if you don't put the blade down."

He bit his lip, looking at everyone surrounding him. He looked to Reno, watching as his comrades pulled him to safety, trying to stop his bleeding.

"Kadaj."

His gaze snapped back to him, his green eyes glistening with unfallen tears. He swallowed hard, his grip growing tighter and tighter on Elena's clothing.

"Remember our promise?" Vincent asked softly. Kadaj looked even more shaken. "Don't make me kill you."

He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came from his quivering lips. Slowly, he pulled the sword away from the woman's neck. He let his grip on her shirt go, before the sword fell to the floor, rattling loudly.

The Turks were on him quickly. Elena was pulled to safety as his sword taken away. Several men took hold of him, and he cried out as he was pushed to the floor, hands searching for more weapons.

Vincent sighed heavily, placing Cerberus back in his holder. He reached into his belt, pulling out the small green orb. He approached Rude, who was leaning over his partner, one of the many people trying to help Reno. "Here," he said, offering him the Restore Materia. Thanking him, the Turk quickly took it, calling on the power immediately and beginning to heal Reno. Vincent watched for a moment, before turning back to Kadaj.

The younger remnant was now bound, laying helpless on the floor as the Turks stood over him. He was looking away at nothing, still breathing heavily, the rage still in his eyes. Yazoo was being lifted from the floor to be set on the bed. Kadaj met Vincent's eyes one last time.

He looked away, facing Rufus. "We need to talk."

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**A/N: :D Please review.**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Wee! Next chapter. It's kinda a short one, but I think the shortness worked. Hopefully you'll all enjoy it. Oddly enough, I actually enjoy writing about Rufus. I didn't really think I would. lol**

**And I can't thank you all enough for the reviews. They make me all happy. :) And someone mentioned something about the bars in the last chapter, and Comic-Con. Nope, I wasn't there, but I'm glad you liked that part. It seemed kinda familiar to me, so hopefully I didn't accidentally rip something off. Hahaha!**

**Anyway, enjoy this next chapter. :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.**

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**Chapter Fifteen**

"Reno will be fine," Rufus said, his face illuminated by the dim light of the lamp set in the corner of the room. He absently toyed with a bottle of liquor set on the table before him, but he didn't pour himself a glass. "Several other people were injured, but not seriously. We were lucky there weren't any casualties."

Vincent stood by the door, his arms crossed, not ready to blame all of what happened on Kadaj. Although someone nearly died because of him, he was sure the boy had just cause for wanting him dead. All things considered though, it didn't make any bit of what he did right. He wasn't sure whether to be angry at him, or pity him some more.

"How did this happen?"

Rufus sighed, turning to him. "According to Elena, Yazoo attacked them first. But Reno was the one who opened the cell, ready to teach Yazoo a lesson for nearly killing him. It wasn't much of a fair fight, I guess. It was then that Kadaj came in, and you know the rest."

"Hmph," Vincent said, shaking his head softly, "Maybe you should keep a tighter leash on your men, or at least put someone on duty who's a little better at controlling his temper."

"Believe me, I intend to reprimand Reno for this, once he's recovered. In the meantime, I think we both need to be clear about what's going on here. I would like to know how Kadaj came to be in your company."

"The same way Yazoo came to be in yours: I found him half-frozen in the Forgotten City."

"That doesn't explain why you left him unguarded and allowed him to come in here and nearly kill my best Turks."

Vincent was silent before answering. "He claims he's changed. He says he's abandoned Jevona and Sephiroth, and up until now, he's done nothing to contradict his claims. Even now, I'm not sure his attacks were from hatred or spite."

"I agree that he was provoked in his incident, but even still, what you're doing is risky. You see how dangerous he is."

"Yes, and I know now I was probably a little too careless with him," Vincent said, "But still, Kadaj was in my custody, and I expect him to be returned when we're finished here."

Rufus silently stared at him for a moment, either trying to understand him or contemplating something. He finally took the bottle of liquor, pouring himself a small glass. He then took a seat on the couch.

"What do you intend to do with him? Watch over him the rest of your life?"

"I'm taking him to Reeve. I made a deal with Kadaj that he would come along quietly if I helped him find his brothers."

"And do you just expect me to hand Yazoo over to you, so those two can bring more destruction?"

"I expect you to turn him over to the WRO. Kadaj knows that was the agreement, so neither of them will fight you."

Rufus looked away from him, staring out the window into the night. He took a moment to think, to mull over everything that had happened. "It's late, you should stay here for the night. There are plenty of rooms. Let me sleep on this, and in the morning I'll have an answer for you. Is that acceptable?"

Vincent nodded his head.

"Rude," Rufus addressed the man standing silent in the corner, "Take him to one of the guest rooms."

"Yes, sir," he replied, nodding his head. He opened the door, gesturing for Vincent to leave first. The raven-haired male looked back at Rufus one last time, before leaving the room.

* * *

Kadaj looked ahead, to the direction of the wall. But in truth, he stared at nothing. His eyes were unfocused, his mind elsewhere. Absently, he rubbed his hands together in a vain attempt to get rid of the blood that was caked to them.

He sat upright on the bed in Yazoo's cell, his brother sound asleep beside him. He had yet to wake up, and Kadaj was almost dreading when he would. There were so many things he had to tell him, so many things he wanted to say. And all of those things he would rather put away for another time. He wished things were simpler, that they could just truly start over, unattached to their old lives. But it didn't work like that.

There were still things that needed to be done.

He was drawn back to the present when his rubbing motion began to hurt himself. He looked down at his hands, the blood only dark spots in the darkness. He spit on his hand, using the saliva to wash it away on his sleeve. It worked a little bit, but it would take a lot of work to get rid of it all.

Why did it bother him so much? It was just blood. He had seen plenty of it before. And it wasn't like Reno didn't deserve what he got. If he had to do it over, he would have stabbed him still. So why did he feel so terrible? Why did it affect him so much the way Vincent had looked at him?

"Mother..." he said in a whisper. What did she think of him?

He looked down at his brother, finding his heavy eyes open, looking up at him. Kadaj smiled softly, opening his mouth to speak, but not knowing what do say. He didn't want to start now.

"What took you so long?" Yazoo asked, smiling lightly.

"I'm sorry," Kadaj said, "It won't happen again. We'll never be apart again. I promise."

Still smiling, Yazoo's eyes closed again. He drifted back into sleep, their small conversation ended. Kadaj's smiled fell away, being replaced by all his heavy thoughts. He reached his blood-stained hand out, touching Yazoo's head softly.

"Never again."

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**A/N: Please review. :)**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Hello readers! Happy Labor Day. This chapter here is another short one. But don't worry, I have a feeling the next chapter will make up for all the shorties. Hopefully. lol Maybe I shouldn't promise anything.**

**Anyway, please enjoy. :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.**

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Chapter Sixteen

Vincent walked down the long hall, passed the rows of empty cells. He listened to the soft words coming from the cell at the end, but he was unable to decipher what they said. He glanced at the two Turk standing guard, silent and threatening. They paid him hardly any attention, as he came to stand before the cell that held Yazoo and Kadaj.

"I don't understand," Yazoo said, the only words Vincent picked up. The two of them stopped talking immediately, the elder brother's eyes looking at Vincent calculatingly, in a way that said he wasn't fond of him.

Kadaj turned around, rising immediately from the bed. He went to the bars, placing his hands on them, opening his mouth to speak. But no words came out. He didn't know what he could say, or even what he wanted to convey. His lips closed again, his gaze falling to the floor.

Vincent watched him for a moment, in all his discomfort and shame.

"Rufus has decided to give you back to me," he informed.

Kadaj lifted his head again, surprised. "What...what about Yazoo?"

The mentioned remnant remained on the bed, his back rested against the wall. The bruises and marks on his face were beginning to heal now, but they were far from gone or painless. Vincent understood fully Kadaj's fear in the matter. He himself didn't like the thought of leaving either of them here.

"He's agreed to let me take him back to Edge with you, but only on one condition."

"What?" Kadaj asked.

"The Turks are going to _escort_ us there."

Yazoo let out something that was the cross between a scoff and a chuckle. Kadaj shifted his weight uncomfortably.

"On the bright side, we'll be able to get there more quickly. And since we already know where Loz is, there's no need to for us to be going anywhere else." Vincent turned away from the cell, looking the direction he had come from. "I'll be back in a few hours, then we'll be leaving."

"Alright."

He waited for a moment, knowing Kadaj wanted to say something more to him. He only wondered if he had the will or humility to get it out. When no one spoke for a few moments, he made his way back down the hall, back out of the detention area.

* * *

"You can't be serious," Vincent said. His serious glare went between Rufus, Rude, and eventually Reno, as they all stood before him. Rufus looked a little uncomfortable, Reno a little bit too arrogant, and Rude was unreadable. "He and Yazoo nearly killed each other last night. Do you really think it's good idea to send him along?"

Rufus answered him. "Although Reno's actions last night were disappointing, there are only a few Turks who I have the utmost confidence in. Reno and Rude are two of my best men, and I would trust this assignment to no one else."

"I don't care. It's a bad idea putting them all together."

"I am not changing my mind on this," Rufus said firmly. "This is part of the deal. If you want Yazoo, or Kadaj at all, you will allow Reno and Rude to accompany you back to Midgar."

Vincent sighed heavily. He could have tried arguing more, could have pushed his point. But he didn't have it in him to do so. He was getting tired of all of this, and all he wanted was to get those two somewhere he knew would be secure.

"Fine. But if Reno ends up dead, that's not my problem."

"Don't worry. I give you my word, he will behave."

Reno smiled, lifting his rod and resting it against his shoulder. Vincent only glared at him a moment longer, before turning to the door.

* * *

"How could you say that?" Yazoo wondered. He paced back and forth absently, across the short distance of the cell. Kadaj sat on the bed, watching him move back and forth. Neither had been able to meet eyes since this conversation started again.

Kadaj found this extremely hard, even though it was the truth, even though it was to all of their benefit. Change was always hard, he knew that now more than ever. Getting Yazoo to accept that change was an even harder challenge.

"Can't you see?" Kadaj asked, his gaze going back to the bed, "What did we gain from all our struggles? Did Jenova ever promise to love us? We were nothing but pawns to her, and we could never hope to be anything else."

"She's our mother," Yazoo countered.

"She's not our mother."

"How can you say that? She is a part of us, we are a part of her."

"That doesn't make her our mother. It's something physical, a genetic flaw as far as I'm concerned."

"She gave us power, she gave us life." He turned to Kadaj for the first time, utter disbelieve and disappointment in his eyes.

"She _used_ our lives. You didn't see what she did to me. You weren't there! You didn't give your entire self over to her and Sephiroth, only to have it used, wasted, and thrown away! They left me for dead, Yazoo. She wasn't even there to waiting for me."

Yazoo was silent. He stopped his pacing and stood facing the wall, his gaze down to his feet. "You must have failed her then."

Kadaj sighed, frustrated. "There is no way I could have done any different! Don't you see, all we can ever do is fail her. No matter how hard we try, we could never please her."

The elder brother didn't respond.

Kadaj rose from the bed, facing him and his turned back. He looked for the words to explain, to somehow convince him. He went to speak again, but stopped when the movement of red caught his eye. He looked to the bars, to Vincent standing there.

"It's time to go," he informed.

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**A/N: Please review. Reviews make my day. lol**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Hi everyone! Sorry for the wait. Sad to say, I was having another minor case of writer's block. *nervous laughter* Hopefully that won't happen again. So, hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.**

**Chapter Seventeen**

Tifa stared up at the ceiling, watching the light from the parted curtains waver against it. The streetlight painted her bedroom in a strange light that late night. For hours, she had just laid there, unable to sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, her mind was filled with restless images, dreams she had thought she'd gotten over years ago. The fire at Nibelheim, and everything that had happened all those years ago, it was still haunting her tonight.

She turned over on her side, staring at the empty bed across from hers. If only Cloud were here. Even if she couldn't bring herself to crawl into bed with him and look for comfort at his side, at least he would be there. At least his mere presence would have given her some comfort.

She held her pillow tightly, letting out a frustrated sigh. Suddenly, she threw off the covers and sat up. Sitting here all night and letting her thoughts take their toll on her mind wasn't doing her any good. More slowly, she stood to her feet, leaving the bedroom.

She went down the hall, to the children's bedroom. She cracked the door, looking inside. Denzel was sound asleep on his own bed, Marlene and Shelke together on another. They all slept soundly, their thoughts no longer filled with fear over her. That thought at least made her smile. Seeing their peaceful faces had been enough to give her some comfort. She closed the door again, then headed downstairs.

She would get something warm to drink, then she would try to sleep again.

She entered the bar and flipped on the light switch. She jumped almost immediately, shocked at finding she wasn't alone down there. Loz lifted his green eyes, meeting her surprised stare.

Tifa took a step back, nearly running back up the stairs. Loz simply stared at her, as he sat at the bar, a glass in his hands. She remained where she was, confused and afraid.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded.

He rose from the stool, his glass abandoned on the counter as he moved closer to her. He walked slowly, his heavy steps sounding so loud in the silence. She held her ground, even as he came into her personal space, towering high above her. For some reason, she wasn't as afraid as she thought she should be. Maybe it was the look in his eyes, the lack of his cocky smile, the strange desperate stare he was giving her.

He suddenly took her arms, and even more suddenly, his mouth was upon hers. Her eyes opened wide and she went rigid, before pushing him back. She stumbled on the stairs, but his hold on her arms kept her from falling. He pulled her back to her feet, taking a step away from the stairs and pulling her with him.

She gasped when her back was placed against the wall, his body before hers, entrapping her. He gazed down at her, that same look his eyes. She found herself shivering, but it wasn't out of fear. His hand was on her head, his fingers softly running through her hair. He kissed her again, this time more gently. The hold on her arm loosened, his lips moving slowly against hers, tasting her experimentally, unsurely.

She kept her hands on his chest, keeping him at a safe distance. She didn't push him away though. She stood with her eyes open, watching him, alarmed but not scared. She felt a shiver run down her spine, as he broke the kiss, slowly pulling away from her. He kept their faces only inches apart, his eyes locked with hers. He was breathing heavy, his body so warm as he stood so close.

She opened her mouth to speak, but she didn't know what to say. What did he even want from her?

Her chance to speak was taken away when the front door to Seventh Heaven suddenly opened. The both of them were shaken from the sudden gust of cold wind. Tifa looked in surprise as Cloud entered the bar.

"Cloud!" she exclaimed. She was both relieved, then suddenly uncomfortable, caught in this position, wondering what was going through his mind.

His bright blue Mako eyes stared between her and Loz, and for a moment he just stood there, as if he couldn't comprehend it. But a second later, all that confusion melted away. He whipped out his sword, the sharp blade suddenly pointed in Loz's direction.

"Get away from her," he ordered calmly.

The blonde took a step forward, forcing Loz back and away from Tifa. That smile that had been absent returned to Loz's face. He looked at Cloud challengingly, as he maneuvered to put himself between the remnant and Tifa. Loz slowly circled around.

Tifa watched on edge, afraid a fight would erupt between them. She drew closer to Cloud, as Loz made his way to the open door. With one last smirk, and a look at Tifa, he disappeared outside.

For a moment, the two of them just stood there. Cloud was the first to move. He lowered his sword and turned to Tifa, looking her over quickly. "Are you alright?" he asked. Other questions could be saved for later.

She didn't answer him though. Not with words at least. She threw her arms around him, embracing him tightly. She held him like he was the only stable thing in the entire broken world. She rested her head against his shoulder, taking in his inviting scent. He smiled softly, wrapping his free arm around her to return the embrace.

"Welcome home," she whispered softly.

* * *

_The space was dark, undiscernible. Kadaj looked around in wonder and confusion, not knowing how he had gotten here. Or even where here really was. He stepped forward, his footsteps loud in the silent place._

_He was walking down a hallway. Even though there was no light, he could still see the plain walls. They stretched out behind and before him, no end in sight. Yet he kept walking, knowing there was no other course of action for him to take._

_He picked up his pace, becoming uncomfortable in the narrow passage. There was no one else with him, and nowhere else to go. He didn't want to be here forever, trapped in an endless walk, yet going nowhere. He had things he needed to do, he had to find his brother. He had to find his mother. He couldn't-he just couldn't-be here any longer. He was now running, searching for that light he knew he would never find._

_He heard laughter in that small space, mocking and sinister. He chose to ignore it, and kept running. The laughter was followed by many other sounds. He heard screaming, crying, the noise of cities being leveled to the ground, the noise of them being built again. He heard swords clashing, blades cutting flesh. There was more screaming, more crying, more laughing. Somehow he knew, that at the heart of it all, he was there. _

_"Poor little remnant," the voice reverberated up his spine. Kadaj froze immediately._

_He swallowed hard, reluctant to turn around, to face what was behind him. He knew who would be there, and knew he didn't have the strength to face him. He would be tough though. He would show his mother he wasn't afraid._

_Balling his fists, clenching his jaw, he turned around. His eyes took in the tall frame, the beautifully structured body, the flawless face, the long silver hair, the familiar eyes. He felt himself shaking, cowering in the presence of the being who was so much more than he._

_This was the man, that more than anything, he hated. When he was first born-if that was what he could call it-he was aware of this person. And he hated him. He was everything he was not, and everything he would never be. He hated him now more than ever, after everything he had done to him._

_Sephiroth._

_A chilling smile touched the greater man's face, as he looked down at his lesser form with a demeaning glint in his eyes. "Foolish remnant," he spoke, "Do you think you can escape me? Do you think you can ever be free of me?"_

_Kadaj didn't reply. He didn't have to._

_Sephiroth took a step closer, closing the distance in the empty hallway. Kadaj kept his gaze locked with his, refused to cower in fear. He felt his arms quivering, felt a familiar feeling traveling up his spine. Sephiroth reached out, his hand going for his throat. The remnant didn't withdraw. He faced him bravely, his eyes defiant even as his long fingers wrapped around his neck._

_His grip tightened immediately, closing Kadaj's throat, blocking off his supply of air. He pulled the teen forward, lifting him so that he was forced to stand on his toes. He refused to struggle though, and kept his composure. He wouldn't give him the satisfaction._

_"You are mine," he hissed, his face right up against his. "You...your brothers...all of you. I will do to them, what I did to you." _

_There was insanity in those emerald eyes, pure evil gazing back at him. Kadaj grabbed hold of his wrist, trying in vain to pull his hand off, as he felt the lack of oxygen begin to take its toll. Sephiroth drew even closer, placing his mouth by his ear. "I will show you, just how weak and insignificant you really are."_

_He watched the man before him waver, as his vision declined. He gasped for air that could not come, as he felt his consciousness slowly slipping away._

"Kadaj!"

The strong grip on his arm suddenly pulled him from his nightmare, placing him back in reality. His eyes shot open, and he immediately sat up, gasping when he realized there was no hand closing his throat. He coughed hoarsely, rubbing his neck with his bound hands. He ignored everyone's confused stares, intent on only catching his breath again.

"Are you alright?" Vincent asked, confused.

Kadaj finally met his stare, seeing his genuine concern. He took one last deep breath, looking to his brother. Yazoo was equally concerned. It was in his eyes, though he never voiced it.

"It was nothing," he answered.

"Nothing?" Vincent questioned, unconvinced. "You were breathing heavily, before you stopped breathing altogether."

"It was nothing!" He snapped, pulling his hands away from his neck, "It was just a dream. I'm fine."

Vincent was still unconvinced, but he didn't push the matter any further. He stood from his crouched position and went back to his seat. He continued to watch Kadaj, as the remnant also sat himself properly in his seat.

They were all in a truck now, making their way to Edge. Kadaj and Yazoo were in the back with Vincent and Rude, leaving Reno to drive them. Kadaj was certain that it was the Turk's fault they were lurching about so much. He wondered how he had even managed to fall asleep, the movement was making him feel sick. Or maybe it wasn't the ride at all.

Yazoo was still staring at him, his heavy eyes telling him silently that he understood everything. There was no need to lie to Yazoo about his dream; he already knew how serious it was. Maybe he couldn't interpret what the details were, but he knew why Kadaj was so unsettled. His eyes said all this, along with a subtle, "I told you so."

The truck shook again. Kadaj looked away from his brother, to the window behind him. He watched the scenery go by, and recognized the destruction that was Midgar. They would soon be in Edge, and this journey would be over with. It just started sinking in, and he realized how afraid he really was.

He and his brother were to be locked away in another cell, possibly forever. Once they found Loz, which would inevitably happen, they would all be together, and the threat they posed would be taken care of. There would be no need for Vincent to stay with him.

His gaze went to the man in red, and he met his crimson eyes. "Do you remember our promise?" Kadaj asked.

Vincent nodded. That was the only answer he needed.

Kadaj composed himself. He would face the WRO bravely. Mother was close to his heart, and she would be there with him. He just had to remember that, and he could face anything.

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**A/N: Well, Loz followed his first impulse, Sephiroth made an appearance, and Cloud finally got his butt in there. lol Wanna find out what happens next? Write a review! It really helps me. lol **


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Hey! I'm kinda on schedule this time! Uh, yeah, I was kinda wondering earlier...was the WRO Headquarters really in Midgar/Edge? I can't remember. lol Oh well, that's where it is in this story. Anyway, enjoy. :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.**

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**Chapter Eighteen**

The WRO main headquarters building hadn't changed since Vincent had last been there. He watched through the window as the truck rolled through the gates, the WRO soldier ushering them through. Now that he was within the compound, it just sank in. He did what he set out to do. Kadaj and Yazoo were now within the WRO. But he knew just as well as any of them, that his job here wasn't finished. There was no dropping them off then continuing on with his life.

Kadaj was anxious, he could tell, but the teen sat calmly in his seat. Yazoo looked as unaffected as ever, as he also looked out the window, watching the personnel they passed.

The truck came to a gradual halt. Rude pulled the door open, being the first of them to step out. Vincent rose as much as he could in the small space, then gestured for the two remnants to go first. Kadaj looked at him warily, before exiting the truck. There were soldiers there waiting for them, and they immediately took Kadaj and Yazoo into their custody.

"Thank you, Mr. Valentine," a young man said to him, "We'll take them from here."

He nodded, meeting Kadaj's eyes one last time. He gave him a reassuring nod, before he and his brother were led away. Reno stepped up to him, walking casually with the usual smile on his face.

"Mission accomplished," he commented.

"Hardly," Rude replied, looking at his comrade from behind his sunglasses.

"Vincent!" a familiar voice called from the distance. The mentioned man turned around, meeting the gaze of Reeve Tuesti, as the man came walking up to them. He smiled to him generically, before looking between the Turks, then to the distance where Kadaj and Yazoo were taken away. "I'm glad you're finally here."

Vincent nodded, "Have you heard anything else about Loz?"

"Yes, actually. Cloud made it home last night. He said he found Loz at Seventh Heaven, but he wasn't able to capture him. I'm sure we'll find him soon though, seeing as how he doesn't seem to be leaving Midgar."

"Alright. I'm going to Seventh Heaven, there are some things I need to see Cloud about. These two should be able to tell you all you need to know." He glanced at Reno and Rude, though the look in his eyes wasn't very friendly. "I'll be back though."

Reeve nodded. "Don't worry. Everything will be taken care of."

Vincent turned to leave, but stopped halfway. He looked back at Reeve. "I assured Kadaj that he and his brother wouldn't be hurt while they were here. I would appreciate it if you helped me keep that promise."

The Commission understood. He nodded an affirmative.

With that, Vincent continued walking, leaving the WRO behind for the inner city of Edge.

* * *

The bar known as Seventh Heaven was also something that hadn't changed. Vincent looked at it from a distance, watching the children play in the street before it. They yelled at each other playfully, laughing and enjoying the wonders of childhood. It almost made him smile.

His eyes went to the older child there, the girl who wasn't really a child. Shelke sat on the stairs leading into bar, watching Marlene and Denzel as they played together. There was a soft smile on her face, but her eyes were pensive, gazing into nothing. Vincent couldn't begin to guess what was going through her mind.

He made his way out into the open street, making his presence known. Skelke's mood lightened immediately. Her smiled grew wide as she leapt off the stairs, running up to him meet him. The both of them came to stop a few feet apart from each other, meeting eyes and exchanging warm smiles.

"Welcome home," she said, holding both her hands behind her back.

_Home_. Vincent had never really thought of this place as home. Then again, he didn't really have a permanent residence anymore, so this place might as well be. It was the closest thing he had at least.

"Thanks," he said.

"Tifa! Cloud!" Marlene called, running back inside to alert them both of his presence. Denzel waved to him from his spot on the ground.

Within a second, the door to Seventh Heaven opened. Tifa came walking out, a soft smile on her face as she came down the stairs. "Welcome back," she said, walking to Shelke's side and placing her hand on the young woman's shoulder. "We've missed you."

He wasn't sure how to reply to that. He simple nodded. "Is Cloud in?" he asked.

"Yes," Tifa answered, "He's inside."

"Thank you." He offered the both of them one last smile, before heading for the door. He passed by Marlene as she ran to join Denzel again.

Vincent stepped into the bar, looking around the virtually empty space. There was no one else inside besides Cloud, and the blonde sat at the counter. He swiveled around to meet Vincent, as he made his way over to the bar, taking a seat next to his.

"Hello," Cloud said generically.

Vincent nodded. Being that neither of them were ones for small-talk, he immediately got to the point. "Reeve has Kadaj and Yazoo."

Cloud nodded. "Now all we have to do is find Loz."

"Reeve said he was here last night. What was he doing?"

Cloud looked away from him, something about his demeanor changing. He looked uncomfortable, and greatly upset. "I don't know. When I came home, he had Tifa cornered against the wall. She wasn't hurt though."

Vincent could tell there was something he wasn't saying, but he didn't press the matter. "Kadaj is probably anxious to see you."

Cloud met his gaze again, sitting up more straightly, his mood forgotten for the moment. "So what do you think? Is he telling the truth about Aerith?"

"I believe him," he admitted after a short paused, "But I'm still wary."

"I was there when he died. I heard Aerith speak to him. There is a good chance what he's saying is true."

"But then where does that put us?" Vincent asked, "Even if he has changed, he still did terrible things beforehand. No one can just forget that."

"And he's still a risk," Cloud concurred, "He _is _a part of Sephiroth."

So basically, they were back to square one. Cloud sighed heavily, rubbing his forehead. Vincent understood his frustration perfectly. After all this time, after all the battles, they still weren't rid of Sephiroth. One way or another, he was always coming back to them.

"I'll go see him in the morning," Cloud said, as he slid himself off of the stool. He looked away from Vincent, staring out the window to the family that was outside. "Who knows, maybe he'll know where we can find Loz."

"Yeah, he might. After all, he knew where Yazoo was."

Cloud nodded, only reassured that that was the right thing to do.

* * *

Night had fallen over Edge. Vincent stood alone in the bar, basking in the silence. Everyone there was asleep, and there was no one in the streets. It was a quiet night, one without falling snow. It still covered the ground, but he could tell tonight wasn't as cold as the others had been. Maybe, just maybe, the snow would be over. Maybe Spring would finally start again.

He let his mind carry him through all that had happened recently, and all the ways it could possibly end. He couldn't think of one that would make everyone happy. On top of all that, he had a feeling this wouldn't be over that simply.

The sound of footsteps coming down the stairs pulled him from his thoughts. He turned to the small shadow descending into the bar. He smiled softly as Shelke came into view, her young body dressed in a pink nightgown. She smiled softly to him as well, saying nothing as she walked up to his side. He turned his gaze back to the window, and the both of them stood there in silent company, just watching the night.

"That..." Shelke broke the silence. Vincent looked down at her when she didn't finished her sentence. He now saw something in her eyes, confusion mixed with sorrow. "That man at the church...Loz. He was Sephiroth, wasn't he?"

"Partially," he answered, having a feeling where this was going.

She nodded, her eyes still on the window. "I could sense it. I just knew."

Vincent thought back to the events that occurred with Deepground, when he first met the girl. He learned that her mind has been compromised by research data done by Lucrecia. That led her to have her memories, and her feelings. Vincent had never thought much of how that made her feel towards Sephiroth. He knew very well how Lucrecia had felt towards him.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly.

She finally met his gaze, smiling softly. "I think I will be."

He returned her smile, before looking back to the city outside. Maybe, with time, they would_ all_ be alright.

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**A/N: Eh, wasn't my favorite chapter. But please review anyway! lol**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: I got no reviews for my last chapter. :( Well, I thought it was kinda boring anyway. lol Hopefully this one is better. I definitely think this one is better. Hopefully it'll get me some reviews ;) *hint***

**Anyway, now that I'm done ranting... enjoy. :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters. Though I wish I did...Oh, the fun I would have!**

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****Chapter Nineteen**

The sound of the door opening outside the WRO prison cell caught Kadaj's attention. He lifted his head from his chest, turning to the bars and watching as the shadow of a man walked up to their door. It wasn't long before Cloud stood before their cell, looking exactly the same way Kadaj remembered him-his gentle face as morose as ever.

Kadaj immediately smiled, pulling himself from his bed and running to the bars. He looked at Cloud with excitement in his eyes and he grabbed hold of the bars. He had been eager to talk with him for quite some time now, and finally, he was here. "Hello, brother," he greeted, "It's been a while."

Cloud didn't reply immediately. He looked rather uncomfortable there. His eyes went from Kadaj to Yazoo, the other beautiful male laying back on his bed, uninterested in their visitor.

"Is it true?" Cloud asked, simple words and an odd greeting.

"Is what true?" Kadaj replied.

"Vincent told me what you said about Aeris. Is it true?"

Understanding, Kadaj nodded, a childish, innocent smile now on his face. "Yes. I live for her now."

Cloud didn't reply to him. He only stared directly into his eyes, looking for any trace of deceit or betrayal. It was hard trying to see truth in the eyes of Sephiroth, even if they belonged to another person.

Kadaj's smile fell away, his hands sliding a little further down the bars. "You...you believe me, don't you?"

Once again, he was silent.

"But you were there! You heard her," he pleaded, now starting to become worried. "You knew her. You know she could change me. You have to believe I've changed."

Cloud sighed, the simple gesture causing Kadaj to quiet down. Yazoo remained where he was, watching the two of them, annoyed yet amused. He refused to participate in this conversation.

"I want to believe you," Cloud admitted, his blue eyes to the floor.

"Then why don't you?"

He met his gaze again, "It's hard, Kadaj."

"But you _know_. You know it's true."

"She might have changed your mind, Kadaj. But nothing can change what you are, or who you are-"

"I am not Sephiroth!" the teen suddenly yelled, slamming his hands down on the bars. They rattled from the force of his strike, and Cloud took a cautious step back from him. The guards on duty turned their attention to him, ready to subdue him if need be. But there was no need. Kadaj kept himself calm, despite the anger and frustration in his eyes. He turned away from the blonde, his hands quivering against the bars.

"Just give it some time," Cloud said softly. "Maybe you'll be able to convince me."

With that, he turned away. Kadaj watched him as he walked down the hall, out of his sight. Even after he was long gone, the remnant stood at the bars, his head rested against them. He felt his brother's eyes on his back, boring into him. After a few minutes, he took a step back, turning his gaze to Yazoo.

"Didn't turn out like you hoped it would?" the older brother asked, something mocking in his flat tone.

"Be quiet," Kadaj hissed. He turned away from Yazoo and went over to his own bed, sitting down with his back to the wall, his arms crossed.

"Did you really expect him to believe you? Why would he? You're Jenova's son, no matter how much you try to deny it."

"I said be quiet!" Kadaj snapped, his eyes flaring.

Yazoo pulled himself off of his bed. He crossed the small space with his graceful strides and stood before his brother, staring down at him with his head cocked to the side. "It's the truth. Don't act like it isn't. No matter what you say, and no matter how much you argue-It's true. You _are_Sephiroth."

"I'm _not_!"

"But you were. And you were weak. That's why you refuse to acknowledge Mother. It's because you were afraid, and you knew you'd never be good enough. But do you really think you'll be good enough for _them_? Look where we are. And where is Vincent? He abandoned you just like Jenova."

"Just shut up!" Kadaj ordered, standing to his feet and facing his brother to challenge him. "You don't know anything."

"I know they'll never accept us. They fear us, and their fear is sound. We are what we are. You are what you are."

"I am not Sephiroth!" Kadaj yelled, swinging his arm around and striking his brother in the face. Yazoo stumbled back, holding his injured jaw. The anger and adrenaline quickly dissipated from Kadaj, once he realized what he'd done. Shocked at his own rash actions, his mouth fell opened, looking for some words to say, as Yazoo narrowed his eyes at him.

Before the younger brother could apologize, Yazoo spun around, lifting his leg and hitting Kadaj square in the head. The younger remnant was hit so hard he was knocked against the bars. They were shaken once again from the impact, and Kadaj stood in shock for a second, before the anger and adrenaline came back. He spun to face his brother, a snarl on his face. Yazoo was composed as always, a taunting smile on his face.

Kadaj charged at him, throwing a powerful swing his way. Yazoo took a step back, effortlessly avoiding his attack. He lifted his hand to toss aside another swing, as Kadaj continued to advance on him, grunting with every strike. Yazoo soon went on the defense. Taking advantage of Kadaj's emotional tactics, he found an opening, and took it. His punch landed directly on the teen's chin.

Kadaj stumbled back, only taking a second to recover from the strike. He yelled out, jumping at his brother with all his strength. He slammed all his weight into him, sending Yazoo tumbling over the bed. He sat over him, straddling him as he continued to attack, pounding him over and over with his fists.

* * *

Vincent ran down the hall when the noise of the fight reached to his ears. He came to a stop before Kadaj and Yazoo's cell, taking it all in quickly. Both of the remnants were in the middle of a violent scuffle, throwing each other back and forth across the small room while kicking and punching. The two guards who were on duty just stood there, their guns held in a ready position, but the looks on their faces telling that they weren't really sure what to do.

"Hey!" Vincent called, getting both their attention, "Get this door open!"

The guard nearest to him acted quickly. He took out his card key and swiped through the lock. Instantly, the door clicked open, sliding to the side to allow entrance. Vincent was through before it was even fully retracted. He reached for Kadaj, grabbing the teen from behind, wrapping his arms under his and unlocking him from his brother. The younger remnant struggled to get out of his hold, still trying to attack his brother.

From the floor, Yazoo looked at him calmly, wiping the blood from his nose.

The guards rushed inside, aiming their weapons at Yazoo to keep him still, as Vincent dragged Kadaj out of the cell, then out of the detention area altogether. The automatic door closed behind them, as he unhooked his arms from his body. He then grabbed Kadaj by the back of his shirt, quickly flinging him around. He slammed his back against the wall, grabbing his arms to hold him in place.

"Settle down!" he commanded.

Kadaj quit struggling as he realized who it was who really had him. He looked to the closed door of the detention area, his breathing coming out heavily as the anger still flared in his eyes. Vincent didn't say anything for a long moment. He just continued to hold his arms against the wall, making sure he was completely calm. His breath eventually steadied, his anger quickly turning into shame.

"Are you done?"

Kadaj met his gaze and nodded heavily. Slowly, Vincent removed his hands from his arms. Kadaj didn't move away from the wall, even after Vincent took a step back from him.

"What was that about?" he asked.

Kadaj didn't answer for the longest time, only continued to look away from Vincent. He had that same look in his eyes he had the night he stabbed Reno. Right when Vincent was about to give up on him answering, he spoke.

"I love him," he said softly, barely in a whisper.

Vincent, surprised by his honesty, tilted his head to the side.

"Why can't he see? Jenova offers nothing for him."

"You can't control how he thinks," Vincent commented.

Kadaj placed his head back against the wall, his eyes glossed over. He blinked rapidly to fight off his tears, his fist shaking as he clenched it tightly. "What if Loz is the same? What if he doesn't understand either? What will I do? I can't go on alone."

"You won't be alone," Vincent replied.

Kadaj's eyes shot up to meet his gaze. At first, he looked confused, but that confusion quickly turned into relief and gratitude. A soft smile touched his face, as he lifted his hands to wipe the blood off his lip. He fought his building tears till they were no longer a problem, and breathed deeply till any trace of his negative emotions were gone.

"Speaking of Loz..." Vincent said, changing the subject now that he was better.

"What?"

"Reeve has given me permission to take you out of here."

"Why?" he asked, surprised.

"You're going to help us track down Loz. Of course, after we find him, the both of you are coming back here. Then we'll determine what we're going to do with you."

Whatever little bit of joy Kadaj had from the release quickly vanished. He scratched his arm nervously, taking a minute to think. After he did so, he faced Vincent with confidence and determination. "Alright."

* * *

Kadaj stood before the cell door, watching Yazoo as he sat inside. The elder brother knew he was there, but he refused to look at Kadaj. He sat with his leg propped up on the bed, both hands wrapped around his ankle. More bruises and scars now joined the ones he had received from Reno, and Kadaj felt sick to his stomach the moment he saw them. He looked away in shame, but then forced himself to turn his gaze back to his brother.

"Yazoo," he said softly.

He finally met his gaze, unenthusiastic.

"Vincent's taking me outside. We're going to find Loz."

"I see," he replied. Kadaj could tell what he was thinking, even though he never spoke it. He was betraying them, helping to capture the only one of them who was free, the only one who could possibly help them escape.

Kadaj looked away from Yazoo, to Vincent who was standing only a few feet away. His eyes weren't on him though. They watched them blank walls, as if to offer the teen some privacy. He looked back to his brother.

"Come here," he said.

"Why?" Yazoo questioned.

"Because I said so. Now come here." Even though he ordered him, he said it rather gently.

Still untrusting of his brother, Yazoo stood anyway. He made his way over to the bars, looking directly at him. Kadaj reached through the gaps slowly, his hand extending towards him. Yazoo watched his hand come in contact with his arm, the touch very soft, a light glow emanating from beneath it, traveling into the muscles of his arm.

"I love you," Kadaj said.

Yazoo lifted his gaze, confused. He looked into his eyes, into the knowing, telling gaze. A soft smile touched Kadaj's lips.

"Why?" Yazoo asked.

Kadaj withdrew his hand, placing them together before himself. "Because you're my brother. And nothing can change that."

* * *

**A/N: Tee hee... Hopefully I didn't ruin that cute, fluffy, close relationship the brothers all had going. Personally, I don't think the fight will change how they view each other much. I always did see Kadaj having a potentially abusive side to him though, especially where Yazoo was concerned. I just hope I kept Yazoo in character though. Ha ha.**

**Anyway, please review. :)**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Here I am again, apologizing for being a lazy bum and not writing sooner. It wasn't like I had writer's block either! I just kept meaning to write, but then didn't! Grrr... Anyway. Hopefully the length of this magically long chapter will make up for that. lol So enjoy. :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.**

**Chapter Twenty**

The wind howled shallowly through the deserted, destroyed buildings of Midgar. It was cold out, the snow still clinging to the ground desperately, giving one last attempt to stay attached to the earth. The sky was drab and dreary, covering them with a rather dull evening. The four travelers, silent in their quest, carried on through the depressing conditions, to a destination that was a mystery to all but one.

"I'm telling you, he's leading us in circles," Reno commented from the back of the group. He had grown weary with the traveling a long time ago, and now he was just becoming a bother.

"I don't understand why they had to come with us," Kadaj commented quietly, throwing his gaze side-ways at Vincent. The man in red was in stride beside him, his attention ahead to the empty city.

"I thought you liked Cloud," he replied softly.

Kadaj looked behind them to the silent blonde. Cloud looked just as tired as Reno, but he had a determination in his eyes that kept him from saying anything.

"I don't mind him, but why did that Turk have to come with us?" the remnant asked.

"I thought it would have been better than leaving him with your brother," Vincent said.

Kadaj didn't argue there. Still, it didn't make the red-head's company any more enjoyable. He glanced back at the two dragging behind, then suddenly picked up his pace, moving a couple yards ahead of the rest. Vincent was only a few steps behind him, his sights perfectly fixed on the teen.

"He's not right, is he?" Vincent asked the boy.

Kadaj turned around to face, his eyebrow raised. Even with how cold it was outside, the remnant looked perfectly comfortable. His free hands hung leisurely as his sides, instead of tucked under his arms for warmth. The only signs of cold he exhibited were the red tip of his nose and his softly quivering lip. He ignored the weather, his spirits lifted enough to keep him content.

"Tell me you're not leading us in circles."

"Why would I do that?" Kadaj asked, smiling softly. He turned away from him again and continued walking, Vincent matching his every step.

"To give Loz more time to get away from us."

"I want to find my brother more than anything. I wouldn't let him get away, and he wouldn't want to. Not from me, at least."

"Then how come it's taking so long?"

"You never struck me as the impatient type, Vincent." He spun on his heel, stopping to face him one last time. Vincent stopped walking to keep from running into the remnant, and the two of them stood about a foot apart.

"I'm not. But like you..." He looked behind, out of the corner of his eye. "I'm getting a little tired of the company."

Kadaj chuckled softly, stepping back from him. "Don't worry. We'll find him, or he'll find us. One way or another..."

* * *

_"Yazoo..." the voice called to him from afar. It was soft, gentle. The mere sound of it made him want to draw nearer to it, to bask in the essence of whatever it was. He heard it again, over and over in his mind. It beckoned him forward, promising him everything he had never had, everything he had ever wanted._

_"Mother?" he asked. That was the only explanation. That was the only person who could ever give what this voice was offering him. The voice chuckled softly, as if amused, as if laughing at some joke he wasn't privy to._

_"Is that what you want?" it asked him._

_He nodded emphatically. Desperately._

_"Then make a choice."_

_He was confused. But he never got the question to the answer he never got to ask. He suddenly found himself standing alone, in a cold dark hallway. There was nothing there to hold onto, no one there to look for. The fear of being utterly alone suddenly came over him, making him hyperventilate. In a desperate attempt to find someone, he ran down the hall. He ran and ran, but he found no end._

_"Yazoo..." his name was called again. But this time not by the gentle, loving voice. It was cold this time, and so much darker than before. It dared him to come forward, forced him to stop running. He stood shaking, wondering what the terrible voice calling his name wanted with him. But deep down, somewhere, he knew what it wanted. It wanted his heart, his soul, his life...everything._

_And it had it. Almost._

She_ had it. Almost._

_He suddenly felt a hand on the back of his neck. It gripped him so tightly, kept him frozen in place. There was a laugh from behind, a cold chill running down his spine. He suddenly felt suffocated, like there were arms on all sides, gripping him all over. They clenched his throat, then shut his eyes. They kept him blind and deaf to the world that was around him, to the truth of his life._

_He tried to scream, but he couldn't. He could only stand there, slowly dying._

As if being suddenly pulled from the water, Yazoo took a deep breath. He sat up in his bed, gasping for the breath he had been denied in his dreams. Disoriented, he looked around his dark cell, where he sat alone.

Before he could even retrieve all his stolen breath, he rose to his feet and approached the bars. Angered and afraid, he gripped them tightly. The power concealed in his arm flared to life, filling the cell with a glowing blue light. He drew it forth, felt it coursing through his body. Electricity jumped from his hand, crawled up the bars and into the circuits that held him captive.

"Hey!" the guards shouted.

They came at him, but it was too late. Whatever light was in that area went out, the controls that held his door shut popped open. He threw the door open quickly and leapt out, grabbing hold of the nearest man around the neck. Calling on the power again, he sent the lightning into his body. The man convulsed, but only for the short moment he held him, before he threw him into his comrade. Both men were incapacitated on the floor.

Yazoo rose to his full height, breathing heavily, listening to the alarm sounding in the distance. He looked down at his arm, at the materia glowing beneath his skin.

He would get out of here. There was something he had to know.

* * *

Vincent sat watching the flames as they danced, reaching up to the sky and licking the cold air. They mesmerized him for hours, occupied his mind as it denied him sleep. The cracking of the wood beneath its heat was the only sound, despite the heavy breathing of the people sleeping around him.

They had decided to call it a night, figuring there would be no point in searching if they were all falling asleep. Cloud took the first watch. He sat some yards away, his large sword rested on the ground before him, his hand on the hilt. Vincent could tell he was wide awake, and he had half a mind to go over there and strike up conversation, since he was awake anyway. But he just remained where he was, watching the fire.

On the opposite side of the fire was Reno, the Turk fast asleep in the fire's warm radius. A little closer, just to Vincent's right, was Kadaj. He was also asleep, laid flat on his back, reminding him of a child who could so carelessly fall asleep. For a moment, he captivated Vincent's gaze. But after staring at him breathe, his gaze was once again drawn to the fire.

He felt his eyes growing heavy. Maybe sleep would finally come for him.

A soft noise broke the silence. He looked back at Kadaj, as the boy lay there whimpering. He winced in his sleep, turning from his sprawled position and curling up. Another noise escaped his lips.

"Kadaj?" he asked softly.

The remnant suddenly cried out in pain. Reno shot up from his sleep and Cloud came to attention, concerned.

Kadaj flipped over on his back again, all the muscles in his limbs tensing. His back arched, his voice growing in intensity as he thrashed around on the ground.

"Kadaj!" Vincent moved over to him, grabbing the boy by the arm. He shook him, but could not rouse him from his sleep. He called his name again, louder this time, grabbing both his arms and shaking him roughly. "Kadaj!"

His emerald eyes suddenly shot open. For a moment after, he still screamed. He struggled to get out of Vincent's grip, and he let him go, allowing the boy to sit up. He looked around, confused and afraid for a moment, before he realized where he was.

"What's happening?" Cloud asked as he came to the camp. Both Vincent and Reno sat looking at Kadaj, wondering the same thing. The remnant quivered softly, his eyes locked on Vincent intensely.

"Kadaj?" he said.

The remnant closed his eyes, resting his head down on his knees, as he sat with his legs pulled up to his chest. He breathed raggedly, his open eyes staring down at nothing, as he clenched his fists tightly. "I'm fine," he said in a broken voice.

"You sure?" Cloud asked.

He nodded but didn't lift his head. "It was just a dream."

"What the hell are you dreaming about?" Reno chimed in, looking at him strangely.

Kadaj lifted his head and rose suddenly. Without a word, he left the radius of the camp, walking into the cold darkness. Vincent rose steadily to his feet, meeting Cloud's gaze briefly. An unspoken understanding was conveyed between them, before Vincent left the camp, following Kadaj.

He found the remnant not too far away. He stood with his back facing the camp, his arms crossed over his chest. His attention was at the moon in the sky, attempting to force the dream from his mind. Vincent walked up beside him, and decided to stare at the moon as well, just until Kadaj was ready to speak.

The teen sighed heavily, steam escaping from his lips and disappearing in the cold air. His gaze fell to his feet instead of the sky, his eyes hiding the water that was gathering in them.

"Are you ready to tell me what you're really dreaming about?" Vincent asked, breaking the silence.

Kadaj shifted his weight uncomfortably. For a moment, he was silent, his eyes still to the ground, honestly not staring at anything. He opened his mouth, but struggled to get the words out, as if speaking them would make it real, as if it would somehow change things between them. It might, but then again, it might not. After all, he had to suspect it. He probably suspected it all along.

"It's Sephiroth," he confessed, "When I sleep, I see him there. And when I wake, I feel him just as strongly. He's still there, in the back of my soul."

Vincent remained quiet, allowing him to continue.

"I tried to ignore him, I try to pretend he's not there. But... " With nothing else to say, he fell silent. He waited for Vincent to say something, anything.

"What does he want?"

"I don't know. What does Sephiroth always want? I just-" He sighed, placing his face in his hand, "It terrifies me."

Vincent stepped in front of him, looking down at the young man. He lifted his emerald eyes, looking up to him. In his expression, Vincent could see how genuine he really was, how all of this had upset him. He wanted to say something that would encourage him, to tell him it would pass. But the both of them knew it likely never would. He reached out, laying a comforting hand on the boy's arm.

Kadaj smiled, looking away from him, as if embarrassed.

Vincent's default ringtone broke through the silence, disrupting their conversation. Vincent took it from his belt, as Kadaj stepped away from him, absently pacing nearby to clear his mind and calm his emotions.

"Hello?" Vincent said into the phone.

"Vincent," Reeve's voice came over the other end. The simple utterance of his name, and he knew something was wrong. "Yazoo escaped."

"How?" he asked simply.

"He had a materia."

"What?" His escape hadn't shocked him much, but a materia? That didn't make sense. "Where did he get a materia?"

"I don't know. But he destroyed everything in his way. There was no way we could stop him."

Vincent wasn't listening to what he said anymore. His gaze was on Kadaj, as he paced back and forth, pretending to be ignorant of the conversation. "I'll talk to you later," Vincent informed Reeve, cutting him off suddenly. He closed the phone, just as he walked up to Kadaj.

The teen turned around just as Vincent reached out for him, suddenly grabbing him by the front of his shirt. The remnant was shoved against the nearest building, pinned both by Vincent's body and his piercing gaze.

"What did you do?" he demanded, his voice threatening.

Kadaj grabbed his wrists, attempting to pull him off. "I don't know what you're talking about," he feigned innocence.

"Where did you get the materia from? I know you gave it to Yazoo, there was no possible way he could have gotten it. So answer me."

Kadaj stopped struggling. A smug smile attached itself to his face. "I bought it in Junon, with your money."

Vincent's hand gripped his shirt more tightly, as he fought back the urge to strangle the boy. "Why did you give it to him? Do you have any idea what you've done? Your brother has made it obvious that he's still here to do Jenova's will, so why would you let him escape?"

"Yazoo's starting to listen to me. He's always listened to me. He won't do anything alone."

Vincent let go of him before he was even done talking. He reached inside his cloak, pulling out the pair of handcuffs he had removed from Kadaj when they started their search. "I'm taking you back."

Kadaj's eyes widened in fear when he saw the cuffs, and he took a step away from him. "No!"

"We had a deal."

"I kept up my end, it's you who hasn't! I went with you just like you asked, but where are my brothers? I hadn't even found them both before you locked me away."

"You're the one who just set Yazoo loose," Vincent countered, an anger in his eyes that wasn't in his voice.

"He'll come back to me. They both will."

Vincent pulled Cerberus from its holster, pressing the three barrels against the remnant's chest. Kadaj's eyes fell to the hated gun. "I'm taking you back, Kadaj."

"Please," the teen scoffed, "The both of us know very well that you can't use that."

"Don't test me, Kadaj," he hissed, "You remember what we promised each other at the end of that deal."

"Then do it!" He grabbed the barrel of the gun, jerking it upward so that it was no longer pointed at his heart, but under his chin instead. "Kill me then, because I won't go back there. I can't."

The two of them stared each other down, lost in silence. They were hidden from their companions by the darkness, both unaware that anything was going on. They could have gotten into a fight right here, they could have killed each other, and Cloud and Reno wouldn't know until it was two late.

But they didn't fight. Vincent didn't pull the trigger. He just stared down into the remnant's eyes, into Sephiroth's eyes, into all the potential danger that was looking back at him. Into the pleading, frightened eyes of a child.

"Come with me," Kadaj said, breaking the silence.

"What?"

"Come with me." Kadaj pushed aside Cerberus, forcing Vincent to lower it. He took a step closer to him. "Leave them behind, and leave that WRO behind, and just come with me. Just help me find them, and I don't care if you keep your eyes locked on me till we're both dead. Just don't take me back there."

Vincent didn't speak, too stunned by his offer.

"You don't understand how much being locked in there frightens us. I just can't-" Kadaj suddenly stopped speaking, his words interrupted as he screamed. He grabbed his head, closing his eyes against the pain.

"Kadaj!" Vincent grabbed him by the shoulders as his knees suddenly gave out beneath him. He lowered him to the ground, as he began convulsing in pain. "Cloud!"

He didn't have to call twice. Both Cloud and Reno were running up to them the moment they heard Kadaj scream.

"What's wrong with him?" Reno asked, concern in his eyes.

"I don't know," Vincent said.

Another noise tore through the silence, echoing through the buildings and drowning out the noise of the remnant screaming. Reno and Cloud both turned around, as Vincent's attention was pulled from Kadaj. The noise came again, the roaring of a creature in the night.

"What is that?" Reno asked.

Cloud lifted his sword defensively, stepping ahead of Reno, ready to fight off the familiar sound. "It's a Shadow Creeper."

* * *

**A/N: Dum dum dum! Curious? Hopefully you won't have to wait too long for the next chapter. Tee hee hee.**

***clears throat* Please review. :)**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Yesterday, I started drawing a picture of Yazoo. At first I was unhappy, cuz I thought he looked like a rather ugly woman. But then I fixed him and he doesn't look so ugly-womanish anymore. Now all I have to do is finish painting him. lol**

**Well, on a less random note: This story is officially three times longer than it originally was. Funny. I thought this story was so lame and uninteresting. Look at it now! I really enjoyed this chapter. Hopefully you will too. :D**

**Disclaimer: I've said it twenty times, I think you get the point. **

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Cloud quickly sprung into action. Without a second thought, he charged at the first creature that came into sight. He lifted his sword high and cut it straight through, silencing the shrieks coming from its agape mouth. It disappeared into a puff of black particles and smoke, leaving no trace that it had actually been there. He took a step back from the area it had been standing, well aware that it wasn't over with yet.

He felt a rumbling beneath his feet, and heard the sound of their cries again. He leapt in the air, just as another emerged right beneath him. He flipped back and landed steadily on his feet, before jumping to meet it. He brought his sword down, slicing it straight through. It disappeared like the last.

"Behind you!" Reno yelled.

Cloud spun around, caught off guard by the Shadow Creeper that appeared directly behind him. He was forced to fall back to avoid its snapping jaws. He kicked at its face, knocking it far enough away to get back to his feet. Reno ran to meet him in battle, lifting his rod and slamming it down on the creeper's head. It crumbled to the ground, writhing as Reno continued to strike it. Within a matter of seconds, it was no more.

Vincent remained crouched on the ground, leaning over Kadaj as he held the boy by his arms. The remnant writhed in pain, still screaming, his cries filling the empty city. "Kadaj!" He tried reaching him, but the remnant couldn't even look his way. Vincent turned his attention to Cloud and Reno and the swarm of creatures surrounding them, torn between which action to take.

Black smoke appeared on the ground beside him. Within an instant Cerberus was raised, the bullets fired before the shadow creeper even fully emerged. It was gone the instant it appeared. Sighing heavily, he let go of Kadaj, leaving the boy alone in his pain. The best thing he could do right now was keep him safe.

A cloud of black dust now surrounded them on all sides, and multiple shadow creepers jumped out at him. He kicked at the one that was immediately before him, then ducked as another jumped at him, missing and flying over his head. He spun and shot at them, taking down three with his accurately aimed bullets. He charged at another two, striking one with his clawed hand, before shooting the other directly in the head.

He turned once more, facing another swarm. He glanced quickly at Kadaj, at his unchanged condition, before jumping into the air. He fired from his place in the sky, clearing away the circle of creatures. He quickly reloaded his rifle as he softly floated back to the ground. He turned his attention to Cloud and Reno and the bundle of creatures they were fighting off. They destroyed them one after another, but more kept coming, over-powering them.

Vincent made his way towards them, jumping into the confusing crowd of violence. He struck left and right, kicking and swiping and firing at the creepers. They vanished left and right, but the dead ones were quickly replaced, the swarm continuing to grow.

"They just keep coming!" Reno exclaimed.

Cloud leapt high in the air, slicing the creature that followed him. When he landed again, it was on the back of one of the shadow creepers. He drove his sword through its neck, causing it to vanish and drop him back to the ground. He spun around, his sword extended and cutting through four of them. One charged him from behind, its sharp claws digging into his back. He cried out in pain, the shock stunning him for a moment. But the creature was quickly dislodged from him, as Reno struck it with his weapon. Offering silent thanks, he struck down the creature that was now headed for Reno, the both of them switching positions and taking on a different mass.

Vincent was knocked on his back, a shadow creeper standing above him, its jaw snapping as it tried to grab his flesh. He kept it at bay with his metal arm, its teeth and jagged face have no affect on the plating. He managed to get his foot beneath the creature, pushing it further away. He glanced over at Kadaj one last time. The teen still laid on the ground, still screaming. But there were no shadow creepers around him. Their sights were solely set on the three of them.

His kicked the creature off him, shooting it as it tumbled away. He quickly rose back to his feet, firing in a circle at the surrounding creatures.

"We have to get out of here!" Cloud said, his breath coming laboriously, blood running down his back and soaking his clothes. Neither him nor Reno replied. They all knew what they would have said.

Wherever they went, the creatures would follow them. This was no mindless attack. They were after blood. For some reason, they wanted the three of them dead.

Cloud, Vincent, and Reno all stood back to back. They looked at the swarm around them, continuing to fight, even though they knew it was hopeless. For every one they killed, three more appeared. They filled the roads, surrounding them for yards on all sides. They struggled to get over one another, jaws and claws snapping hungrily, their beady eyes anticipating death.

Vincent glanced at Kadaj. He couldn't be drawing them here. He wouldn't...

The sound of thunder cracking interrupted the incoherent noise of battle. Yazoo appeared from nowhere, the black-clothed, silver-haired man flying through the air, jumping directly into the center of the battle. He landed with his hands flat on the ground, the light in his arm cutting through the darkness intensely. The sky rumbled, lightning flashed. It jumped down from the sky, striking the ground where the battle took place. Electricity traveled through each of the shadow creepers, leaving them writhing and shrieking in pain.

The three fighters stood in shock, unaffected by the lightning storm raging around them.

The shadow creepers all vanished into the dust from which they came, leaving the ground desolate and empty. The lightning died away, the city growing dark once again. Yazoo rose gracefully to his feet, the glow from the materia lingering on his arm, before it died away completely. He stood facing the three of them, a smug smile on his face.

They stood in silence, breathing heavily. No one was exactly sure what to say, or where to start. Vincent looked away from Yazoo, suddenly realizing Kadaj wasn't screaming any longer. He looked to where he had left him, shocked to find the spot empty.

"Kadaj!" he yelled, running up to the space. He looked around in the darkness, finding no trace of him. Yazoo approached him, Cloud and Reno a step behind. Vincent turned to face Yazoo. "Where is he? Where did he go?"

Yazoo looked confused, as he stared off at nothing. "I don't know. He's...he's here."

"What?"

"Where did those creatures come from?" Cloud asked.

Yazoo looked to him, understanding what he was suggesting. "I didn't summon them. I couldn't even send them away, I tried."

"Then why did they leave when you came?" Reno asked.

The remnant paused for a moment, thinking. "They accomplished what they came to do."

"And what was that?" Cloud wondered, his tone hostile.

Yazoo simply gestured to the place Kadaj was supposed to be.

"Kadaj wouldn't have called those things," Vincent defended.

"Of course not. He wouldn't risk killing you," Yazoo replied, looking Vincent directly in the eye. "He cares for you a little too much, if you ask me."

"Was it Loz?" Cloud asked.

Yazoo shook his head definitively. "Loz isn't nearby."

"Then what is going on here?" Reno asked.

Vincent turned away from them all, calling Kadaj's name aloud. He began walking down the road, seeing if he could find any trace of him. Yazoo followed behind him, a few steps away. Vincent came to a stop, but the remnant kept walking, as if following a path or a call of some sort. He suddenly halted, turning to face Vincent, a look of fear on his face.

"What is it?"

"He's...he's gone."

"What?"

Yazoo spun around, gasping in surprise as his bother suddenly appeared before him. There was no time to speak, no time to act, no time to think. He was hardly aware of what was happening, before there was a suddenly pain in his abdomen.

"Kadaj!" Vincent yelled.

Yazoo stood in shock and horror, pain slowly making its way to his expression. He stared down into Kadaj's eyes, into the sinister stare looking back at him. A long blade was in his hand, driven through Yazoo, piercing his body.

Cloud, Reno, and Vincent all stood in shock.

Kadaj drew into Yazoo, place his mouth by his ear. "You were wrong," he whispered, chuckling softly, "_You_ were the one who wasn't strong enough."

Vincent ran towards them, forcing Kadaj to step away from his brother. He pulled the long blade from Yazoo's body, letting him crash carelessly to the ground. Vincent lifted Cerberus, aiming it directly for the Kadaj's head.

A chilling smile came to his lips. He flicked his wrist, causing the blood to fly off the long blade, leaving it spotless and shining in the darkness. It rang softly, with a sound that was distinct to one man's sword. And it was clear that this man was not Kadaj.

A gust of the wind came with the sudden motion of a wing sprouting from the teen's back. It stretched far to the right, reaching up to the sky, before thrusting down suddenly. Kadaj flew into the air powerfully, soaring away from from them, heading further into the heart of Midgar.

"Kadaj!" Vincent called after him.

Cloud suddenly took off, running the direction Kadaj had gone, determined to follow after him. "Cloud, wait!" Vincent now called, but the other man paid no heed to him. Determined, he followed after Kadaj, disappearing into the darkness.

Vincent spun around and faced Reno. "Follow after him!" he ordered, as he replaced Cerberus, walking over Yazoo and kneeling by his side.

"What?" Reno asked, confused.

"Cloud is injured. He's going to pass out from blood loss sooner or later, I need you to take care of him. Go!"

Reno hesitated for only a second. He didn't have to be told twice though. He followed after Cloud, leaving Vincent and Yazoo behind.

Vincent turned his full attention to Yazoo, looking the remnant over as he lay bleeding on the ground. He was still conscious, trying to comprehend the shock and reality of the situation. He groaned, laying his hands over his wound, trying in vain to stop the bleeding. He was stabbed straight through, and continued to bleed from his back. Vincent sighed heavily, cursing himself inside for leaving behind his Restore materia in Healin.

He took the remnant's shirt and tore it open, beginning to tear it into strips to make him some kind of bandage. He had to at least try to stop the bleeding. "Hold still," he said softly, as he managed to pry his hands from the deep wound. Yazoo suddenly grabbed hold of his arm, his blood covered fingers digging into his leather sleeve.

"That...That wasn't Kadaj," he choked out weakly.

"I know."

"H...Hel-" He groaned loudly when Vincent applied pressure to his wound.

"Just hold on," he said softly.

Tears leaked from the corners of his eyes as Vincent secured the makeshift bandage. He watched him carefully, making sure he wasn't slipping away from him. "Help him," Yazoo said weakly, his hand slipping from his arm, falling limply to the ground. His eyes fell shut, the rest of his building tears streaming down his face.

"Damn it."

Vincent grabbed hold of Yazoo, lifting him from the ground, not caring about being gentle to his wounds. He had to get him some help, or all the care and gentle handling would do him no good at all. He cradled him in his arms, like he had done with Kadaj all that time ago. It seemed like a lifetime since then.

He quickly made his way towards Edge, to the only place he could think of taking him.

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**A/N: *tries to hold back crazy laughter over coming chapters* **

**Please review. :)**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: XD Hi. I guess a week isn't too long of a time. Although, apparently, some of you develop mental problems from having to wait. Or something...lol I had some epic reviews for the last chapter, so thank you all for that. I have the best readers ever. *big grin***

**So here's lovely chapter 22. 'Tis a short one, but hopefully I'll have the next chapter up soon. Hope you enjoy it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.**

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**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Seventh Heaven was quiet tonight. There were no customers, not even people outside in the streets. They left the small bar to itself, left its occupants in peace. Tifa sat in the darkness, at one of the booths by the window. Her gaze was out the window, to the bright moon in the sky.

Oddly enough, she was at peace tonight. Her thoughts weren't running wild, thinking of every terrible thing that could happen. Even with all the potential danger out there, she was unafraid.

Marlene was beside her, the young girl's head rested on her lap as she slept soundly. The two of them had talked late, until Marlene finally fell asleep. Tifa had neither the heart nor the desire to move her. So the night continued on, and she sat watching the city outside.

She occasionally thought about Cloud, and Vincent, and the others who were with them. She was hoping they would finally track down Loz, but at the same time, she dreaded that outcome. What would happen to him then? What would happen to all the remnants? Vincent seemed convinced Kadaj had changed. What about the others? What about Loz? He hadn't tried to hurt her, not like last time. He even saved her life. He _kissed_ her.

Something had to be different. Something had to have changed.

Her thoughts were interrupted violently. A loud bang came to the front door, the sound of someone kicking it hurriedly. Marlene sat up suddenly, shocked and confused. Concerned, Tifa made her way around her and to the door. She cautiously pulled it open, unsure what she would find outside. She was surprised to see Vincent standing there, the man breathing heavily, a trail of blood following behind him as he held Yazoo, the remnant motionless in his arms.

"What happened?" she asked immediately, alarmed when she saw he was alone. She stepped aside to make way for him as he pushed his way inside.

"Do you have a restore materia?" he asked, his request urgent.

"Yes. Of course."

"I need it. Now."

He didn't have to tell her twice. She was half way up the stairs before he even finished his sentence. He followed after her, his steps labored as he climbed, Yazoo's blood dripping on the steps behind him.

Vincent followed her into Cloud's room, standing in the doorway as she pulled the trunk out from beneath the bed. She flipped the top open and began sorting through the different colored, glowing orbs.

"Just lay him on the bed," she said.

Vincent did as she told, setting the remnant down as carefully as he could. He fell on his knees beside him, breathing heavily, the journey here taking its toll. Tifa quickly ran over and handed him the materia. He immediately drew on the power, felt it draw life from his body. The orb shined brightly in his hand, its warmth and power traveling into the barely-breathing remnant.

Yazoo took in a deep breath, his body shocked by the change. The wound in his abdomen began healing, the skin fusing itself back together. Vincent watched carefully, praying silently that it wasn't too late. Yazoo's breathing slowly steadied out, the blood no longer flowing from his body. The healing was soon done, and the power in the materia slowly faded away.

Vincent dropped the orb onto the bed. Relieved, he was finally able to relax. His shoulders slumped as he turned himself around, sitting on the edge of the bed. He felt Tifa's eyes on him, asking him questions she was afraid to voice. He placed his head in his right hand, taking a moment to catch his breath and let all the fear and adrenaline wear off him. As much as it could, at least.

Now that he was here, and his immediate problem was over with, he had time to reflect on the real issue.

Sighing heavily, he lifted his gaze. He met the eyes of Shelke, the young woman standing in the doorway with Marlene and Denzel. The fear and confusion was on all their faces.

"What happened?" Tifa dared ask again. "Where is everyone?"

"It was Kadaj. No, it wasn't Kadaj," he corrected himself. He met her eyes. "It was Sephiroth."

She took a step back, the fear bleeding its way into her eyes. He watched her realize her worst fear had come true-all of their worst fear. He turned away from her, looking down at Yazoo once more. He was still unconscious, caught in a sleep that was only brought on by necessity. He looked exhausted, the blood still covering his body, soaking his clothes.

"Where's the others? Where's Cloud?" she asked.

Vincent stood to his feet, knowing he very well couldn't stay there. "Cloud went after Kadaj. Reno followed him."

"Where are you going?" Tifa called, following after him as he made his way between the children, heading down stairs.

"Cloud was injured, he couldn't have followed him far."

She stopped halfway down the stairs. He looked back at her, meeting her gaze one last time, watching her clenched fist shake in the fear and anger she kept unspoken.

"I'll bring him home," he assured, "Just watch over Yazoo. He'll probably be out for a while, so you won't have to worry about anything."

"Alright."

He nodded his head. He took a deep breath, drawing on the energy he wasn't sure he had left. Without another word, let left the bar.

Tifa stood on the stairs, her attention directed at nothing. He thoughts were once again elsewhere, this time no longer content and peaceful. She was afraid, so very afraid. This couldn't all be happening again.

She steadied her shaking fist, pushing back the emotions that were threatening to take her over. Standing there and brooding over the matter wouldn't do her any good. She turned back around and went to Cloud's room, joining the rest of the household as they gathered inside. Shelke stood over Yazoo, a wet cloth in her hand. Gingerly, she wiped away the blood that marred his body.

Tifa walked beside Marlene, putting a reassuring arm around her daughter's shoulder. She looked up at her, still unsure of the situation. Tifa offered a soft smile, one that was brought on by an odd realization.

Sephiroth was out there, ready to destroy them. And here they were, caring for someone that was a part of him. She wondered how that was any different than caring for Sephiroth himself.

But it was, she knew that. Somewhere along the way, something _had_ changed. Something _was_ different.

"Mother..." The word fell off Yazoo's lips, hardly an audible whisper.

Tifa knew somewhere out there, Aeris was watching them. She was there, just like before, just like she would always be.

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**A/N: Please review. :)**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Hello peeps! :)**

**When writing in this story, I like to listen to the band Delain. Their song "Control the Storm" really inspires me for the action scenes. Then there's "Come Closer". It's Kadaj and Yazoo's theme. ;)  
****Just thought I'd share that with you. Enjoy the chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy already! Leave me alone! 0_0**

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Chapter Twenty-Three

Cloud brought himself to a stop. He placed his large sword in the ground and rested his body weight against it, breathing heavily as he tried to regain his strength. His legs ached from the long run, the pain in his back even worse, blood continuing to flow from the deep wound. The warm liquid left trails down his skin, and on the ground behind him. But he wouldn't stop. He _couldn't_ stop.

He looked up to the sky, to the approaching morning. He watched the distant shape in the sky, watched the man with the one wing glide through the air, carefully landing on top of the nearby building.

Cloud stood up straight, took in another deep breath, before he wrenched the sword from the ground. He beckoned his legs forward, running once more to meet Sephiroth head on. He made his way to the building, towards the broken door that would lead inside, that would eventually take him to the roof and to his mortal enemy.

He was nearly inside before he was forced to jump back. He rolled out of the way, caught by surprise when a large chunk of the building came tumbling down towards him. It crashed into the ground where he had once been standing, churning up dust and debris. He coughed a bit as he pulled himself back to his feet, looking once again to Sephiroth. The one-winged angel was no longer on the building. Slowly, he was gliding down toward him.

Cloud gripped his sword more firmly, as Kadaj's form landed. He crouched down low, his wing wrapped protectively around the young body. From between the feathers, Cloud noted the sly smirk on his lips. The eyes, truly Sephiroth's now, drank the blonde in, studying his exhausted form.

The two of them stared each other down. There were no words exchanged between them. No words were necessary.

Cloud's breathing was still labored. His body continued to ache, even as he merely stood there. His sword felt like an incredible weight in his arms. He swallowed hard, trying all he could to keep his vision clear.

"Kadaj," he said, "I know you can hear me. I know you're in there. Fight him."

The teen chuckled, standing to his full height. He shook his head softly, extending his left hand and the long blade it held. "It's too late..._brother._" He mocked.

"That's what you would have me think. But even if that is the truth, I will kill you anyway. I know you're using him against his will, and that he is just a puppet to you. But I will kill him if I have to. I know what it's like, and I wouldn't wish that on anybody."

"Very well," Sephiroth replied, "You can try."

Cloud lifted his sword high and charged.

Sephiroth effortlessly blocked the blow, returning it with a strike of his own. Cloud stepped back, swerving to the right, deflecting another blow before he advanced on him. Sephiroth chuckled again, watching him over-exert himself. The both of them knew he wouldn't last long.

Sephiroth jumped into the air. Using his wing, he propelled himself higher, rotating once, then turning about to face his opponent. Cloud leapt from the ground, using the wall of a nearby building as momentum to push himself higher. He watched the one-winged angel draw closer, watching his form blur as his vision faltered once more. Sephiroth deflected the swing he took at him. Cloud was knocked back, and he followed, flying through the air and striking at him left and right.

Cloud quickly defended himself, his arms throbbed as his hands shook, the grip on his sword slipping. He fell back to the ground, landing on his feet and immediately taking a step back. Sephiroth landed before him, spinning through the air and driving his sword at him. Cloud lifted his weapon to deflect it, but his arms didn't respond fast enough. The blades slid together, Sephiroth's breaking through his defenses.

Cloud screamed out in pain-a pain that was added to his previous ones. He looked down at the blade piercing his side, then up into Sephiroth's exhilarated eyes. They told of insanity, of a pleasure Sephiroth only experienced during combat.

His right hand took hold of Cloud's, twisting his wrist suddenly. The blonde cried out once more as the sound of bone snapping rang out, his sword falling to the ground loudly. Sephiroth's sword was yanked from his flesh, his right hand now grabbing him around the throat. His back was suddenly thrown up against a wall, the remnant form holding him firmly, cutting off his supply of oxygen. Cloud was too pained to even fight him. All he could do was stare into his eyes, at the amused expression on his face.

Once again, his vision wavered. He watched his image go blurry, the world around him turning dim. The last thing he was aware of was the firm grip on his throat, before all went black.

Sephiroth smiled, adjusting his grip on his sword. A loud scream turned him away from his killing, forcing him to abandon his hold on Cloud. The unresponsive man crashed lifelessly to the ground as Sephiroth spun around, slicing through the air with his sword, just as Reno came flying towards him.

His blade rebounded off the Turk's rod, sending the red-head flying. He tumbled over the ground, before bringing himself effortlessly to his feet. He faced Sephiroth, his stare challenging, his weapon held ready to fight a battle that would no doubt be hopeless.

Sephiroth stared him over, evaluating him. In the end, he scoffed, lowering his blade. His wing extended at his side, flexing in the air. "You wouldn't be worth it."

With a quick thrust of his wing, he was in the air, soaring away from him.

"Hey!" Reno yelled, but Sephiroth ignored him. He flew high in the sky, far away.

Reno let down his guard, immediately running towards Cloud. He fell on his knees beside him and flipped the man over, regretting it a second later when he realized how wounded he was. "Cloud, you moron," he mumbled as he felt his pulse, relieved he was still alive. But not for long.

He sighed heavily, reaching into his jacket and feeling around for the small bottle he always had tucked away for emergencies. He pulled it out, popping the lid off the vial and placing the nozzle against Cloud's parted lips. He poured the green liquid into his mouth, watching anxiously as the potion went down his throat.

"Come on, come on," he was saying softly under his breath, waiting anxiously for a response. He was flooded with relief when Cloud finally coughed, regaining consciousness. "You moron," he said again, this time with a happy smile.

Cloud looked around, disoriented for a moment. He suddenly cringed, placing a hand over his stab wound.

"Easy," Reno said, "That potion didn't cure all your injuries. You're lucky you're still alive."

"Where is he?" Cloud asked, laying his head flat on the ground again, still coughing over the bit of potion that had gone down wrong.

"He's gone, but forget about him for now. I need to get you some help. Can you stand?"

Cloud shook his head. "I don't think so."

"Alright. Just lay still then. I have to bandage your wounds, then we'll worry about getting you out of here."

_Somehow._ He added in his mind. Somehow, he would make it back to Edge. Cloud's life depended on it.

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Tifa stood by the front door, looking out the window. She was waiting impatiently, hoping that any moment she would see Vincent walking up, Cloud right behind him. It had been hours since Vincent had gone back out. It was morning now.

Her hand was still shaking. She couldn't stop it no matter how tightly she held it with her other. She was getting restless. She didn't want to just stand here, she wanted to be out there, fighting beside Cloud and Vincent, like she had four years ago. But she couldn't leave, not while Yazoo was here.

Sighing in frustration, she turned away from the window. She had to do something, she was going insane. She would check on Yazoo, see how he was doing even though it was unnecessary. Shelke was in the room with him, and she knew that if there was any change in Yazoo's condition, she would have told her immediately. But going up there was something to do.

She hadn't even put her foot on the first step, before the door to Seventh Heaven was suddenly thrown open, bursting the lock that held it closed. She turned, surprised that Cloud was not standing there. Neither was Vincent.

It was Loz.

The remnant was breathing heavily, fear apparent in his eyes as he stepped inside, gazing directly at her. "Where is he?" he asked, "Where's Yazoo?"

For a moment, she just stood there. She didn't know what to say, or even what to think.

"Where is he?" he pleaded again.

"He...he's upstairs," she answered, gesturing upward.

He didn't say anything in return. He just made his way past her, running into the room that sheltered his brother.

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**A/N: I have issues with Cloud. I love him and all...but I still haven't gotten over how difficult it was the first time I wrote about him. Ha ha! Since then, I've been a bit wary of him. He seems to be doing ok in this one though. He is gettin' himself beat up a lot though...hmmm.**

**Well, please review. :)**


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Hey everyone! I was gonna put this up last night, but I got too tired. lol So here it is this morning. :) Hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.**

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**Chapter Twenty-Four**

Tifa stopped just outside of her and Cloud's room, resting her arm on the door frame as she looked inside. Her eyes went to Loz. He sat on a chair just at the bottom of Cloud's bed, watching Yazoo with an intensity she wasn't sure she had ever seen before. In that intense gaze was sorrow and fear, all the anxiety making him shake as he sat there. She could see it, his arms quivering slightly as he rested them on his knees.

She stepped into the room, carefully walking closer to the bed. She glanced over at Shelke, the girl seated on top of Tifa's own bed, watching both remnants, before meeting Tifa's stare without a word.

Tifa's eyes were once again drawn to Yazoo. He was still asleep, even after all these hours. He looked just as exhausted as before, but there seemed to be little bit of color returning to his face. As much color as his pale skin could possibly have, at least.

She crossed her arms, sighing noiselessly.

"Why?" Loz broke the dead silence in the room. She looked down at him, at his face that was still turned toward his brother. His eyes were wet, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Why would Mother do this?"

She wondered if she should say something, try and comfort him in some way, or take the opportunity to try and turn him from Jenova. It didn't seem appropriate though, so she remained silent, staring at him sympathetically.

"No mother would ask for this to happen," Shelke answered instead, speaking bluntly without inflection. Loz glanced over at her, his own face expressionless.

Shelke didn't offer any explanation. She simply slid out of the bed and walked past Tifa, out of the room. She watched her leave, then was suddenly uncomfortable when she realized she was practically alone with Loz. He was now looking at her, but seemed to be in deep thought. She walked past him, taking Shelke's spot on the opposite bed. She watched Yazoo again, assuming a deep thought of her own.

"Are you mad at me? About before?" he asked, pulling them both away from their current thoughts.

She looked to him, surprised by his sudden change of subject. "No..." she answered after a second, not really sure how she felt about their last encounter. "I'm not mad."

"You look mad," he observed.

"I'm uncomfortable."

"Why? Because I kissed you, or because brother saw us?"

"Both." She shifted nervously, placing both her hands together. "Why _did_ you kiss me?"

He smirked, the first thing resembling a smile she had seen since Yazoo was brought there. "Because I wanted to. You're very pretty."

"But I'm with Cloud. You can't just-"

"Does he love you?" he cut her off.

"Of course he does."

"Then why wasn't he with you? When you love someone, you're always with them."

"Cloud only left because of Kadaj."

Loz smirked again, unconvinced. He shook his head, sitting up straight in his chair. "Well you're very pretty, and if I were brother, I would never leave your side."

She didn't say anything in return. He turned away from her, looking back to his brother. She watched him for a long moment, surprised by his reasoning and his honesty. Both were a little flattering, along with a little disturbing. But either way, it did make her smile.

"Tifa!" Shelke called. The young woman was in the doorway a second later, "They're back."

Tifa rose immediately from the bed, leaving the room with Shelke and heading downstairs. The girl went to the door and immediately pulled it open, just as Vincent stepped through, supporting Cloud with Reno's help. The blonde was conscious, but severely wounded, and clearly in a lot of pain.

"We're going to need that materia again," Vincent said.

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Tifa sat behind Cloud on the bed, her attention focused on the deep claw marks on his back. She carefully cleaned them, causing Cloud to grit his teeth from the pain. But it needed to be done, and he took it without protest. Vincent and Reno were in the children's room along with them, Vincent on the other bed while Reno paced around.

"So what are we going to do?" Reno asked, participating in the conversation they were having. Vincent filled Tifa in more completely about what happened with Kadaj, and Cloud told them about his encounter with Sephiroth. Over all, it wasn't a very hopeful discussion.

"We have to stop him," Cloud simply replied, no matter how obviously it was.

"There has to be a way to free Kadaj," Vincent said.

"I hope so," Cloud replied, "But you have to accept that we might not be able to. This isn't like before when he took him over. He's in control of his mind, not his body. I don't think killing him will do Kadaj any good, but it's probably the only way we can save us all."

Vincent didn't want to hear what he said, but he knew it was the truth. "Kadaj is still in there. I might be able to reach him."

"I tried. I know he might be more susceptible to you, but..." He paused, wincing as Tifa finished with the cleaning of his back, then went for the wound on his side. "Sephiroth is very powerful, so is the control he can have over someone."

"I know. But Kadaj has a strength of his own, and I have to believe that he can find his way out of this."

Cloud only shrugged. "I guess all you can do is try."

Cloud's attention was pulled away from the conversation when Tifa activated the restore materia. He sucked air in through his teeth as the power took over his body, causing him a momentary pain before it started to relieve it. The deep sword wound slowly closed up, the long gashes disappearing as the skin drew back together. He sighed heavily, the glow in the materia dying away.

He tested his muscles, moving his arm around to make sure it was healed completely. Either than being sore and tired, he was perfect again.

Tifa let out a sigh of her own, letting both hands that clutched the materia rest on her lap. The four of them were all silent.

Reno was the first one to notice Shelke in the doorway. They all looked to her, as she stood expressionless. "Yazoo's awake," she informed.

Vincent was the first one to his feet, following Shelke back into the other room. Like she said, Yazoo was awake, now sitting up in the bed and looking around in confusion. Loz was standing nearby, offering his brother assistance in sitting. He clearly didn't need it, and just continued to look around the room. His eyes found Vincent, his expression going from confused to knowing.

"I need your help," Vincent said simply, not asking but ordering.

Yazoo stared at him challengingly, tilting his head to the side. "With what?"

"Where is Kadaj?"

Yazoo's gaze fell to the bed as he reached up, softly touching his stomach, where the wound once was. He ran his fingers back and forth, as if trying to find it, as if trying to understand why it was no longer there.

"Yazoo," Vincent said.

He lifted his head again, just as Reno, Tifa, and Cloud all came into the room. They were all looking at the brothers.

"What about you?" Vincent asked, looking at Loz, "Where's Kadaj?"

Loz looked from Vincent to Yazoo, his mouth opening as if to say something, but he didn't know what to say. He was looking to his brother for answers, but Yazoo was never the one who was in charge of things. The one who was was missing, far away from them and under the control of another.

"Kadaj just stabbed you while under Sephiroth's influence. Don't tell me you still believe Jenova has your best interests in mind. You need to tell me where he's gone, before it's too late to help him."

"I don't know where he is," Yazoo admitted. He looked extremely bothered, still looking away from Vincent. "He's...He's out there somewhere, but I can't sense him. Not like before."

"Because of Sephiroth?" Cloud asked.

He nodded solemnly.

"Well do you know what he's after? Why did Sephiroth show up now but not before?" Vincent questioned.

"Kadaj was fighting him until now. But Sephiroth became too powerful. He couldn't keep him back any longer."

"Well what's he after?" Cloud re-asked Vincent's question.

"He's after Mother. Jenova," Loz answered.

"Jenova? How?" Cloud wondered, "There isn't any part of her left on the planet. All her cells are gone."

"I don't know how," Yazoo said, "But she's still here, somehow, somewhere. And Sephiroth is intent on finding her. He _will_ find her."

The room fell silent. They all looked between each other, silently asking if anyone had any ideas or theories about what they were supposed to do. Vincent walked closer to the bed, looking directly at Yazoo. The remnant stared back at him, wondering what he was looking for as he searched his eyes.

"Lucrecia Crescent," Shelke broke the silence, the word uttered with a realization.

"What?" Cloud asked, looking over at her.

"Sephiroth is going to the Chronicles of Yore. Where Lucrecia is."

"She still has Jenova's cells," Vincent finished, his eyes wide with a sudden fear.

"Who's Lucrecia?" Loz asked, but his question went unanswered.

"Wait. How would he even know where to find her?" Cloud wondered.

"Mother is drawing him to her," Yazoo answered.

Clear on what he had to do, Vincent suddenly left the room, heading downstairs and to the front door. "Vincent, wait!" Cloud called after him. He and Tifa chased him downstairs, meeting him as he stopped just before the door. "I'm going with you," Cloud informed.

Tifa was about to protest, but Vincent got to it before she did.

"No, Cloud, you need to rest," he said, facing the both of them. "You've lost too much blood, you're lucky you're even alive."

"But-"

"Besides, you need to stay here and watch those two. We can't send them back to Reeve."

"Why not?" Tifa asked.

Vincent sighed. His turned his attention back to the door as his hand rested on the handle, but didn't turn it. "I made Kadaj a promise. I said I wouldn't take him there until they were all together. I didn't keep that promise before, but I intend to keep it now. And I don't think those two will do good being confined."

"Are you sure?" Cloud questioned.

Vincent nodded. "They know now. They know what Sephiroth and Jenova really are." After a pause, he opened the door, letting in the cold outside air, ready to leave Seventh Heaven once more.

"Vincent," Cloud called, stopping him once again, "I'll stay, but I have to know you'll do what's necessary."

The dark-haired man smiled dryly. "That was the other part of the promise. Kadaj knows I will kill him if I have to."

Cloud nodded, assured. "Alright. Good luck."

Vincent nodded to the both of them, before he left the bar, pulling the door closed after him. The two of them stood there long after he was gone, just staring at the place he had once been. They were afraid, wondering if Vincent could really do what needed to be done.

Tifa reached for him, taking Cloud's hand in both of hers. He turned his attention to her, weakly returning the small smile she was giving him. "Come on," she whispered softly, "You need to rest."

He let her lead him away from the door, back up the stairs. He would rest, but he doubted he would get any sleep tonight.

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**A/N: Please review. :)**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: I hope this chapter turned out alright. Wasn't entirely sure where to go with the first part... Well, enjoy. :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.**

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**Chapter Twenty-Five**

"I should be out there," Cloud said sullenly from his place on the bed. Tifa looked at him from across the room. He was on Denzel's bed, his arms beneath his head as he stared up at the ceiling. It was obvious his thoughts were elsewhere, leaving him frustrated and restless. No matter how exhausted and tired he must be, he kept his eyes open, his mind dwelling on all the possible scenarios before them.

"You should sleeping," she replied.

They were the only two in the room. The children had been kind enough to give up their room so Cloud could rest, since the other room was otherwise occupied. Marlene and Denzel were downstairs in the bar, taking care of the regular customers who were coming. Tifa wondered how comfortable those regulars would be if they knew the men who had terrorized their town two years ago were there, just up the stairs.

Shelke was at her station in the other room, making sure their "guests" didn't go anywhere.

Tifa stepped closer to Denzel's bed, staring down at Cloud till he was forced to meet her gaze. "You're not the only who's capable of fighting Sephiroth."

"I know," he said, "It's just...I feel like I should be doing something."

"You wouldn't do Vincent any good passing out."

"I know."

"And you didn't do any good running after Kadaj in the first place. You're lucky Reno came to your rescue and Sephiroth didn't kill you right then!"

"I know!" he snapped this time. Tifa backed down, sighing as she turned to the window. She walked over and rested her hands against the sill, looking absently at the city outside.

She couldn't believe it. Cloud was finally here again. They were together, and the first thing they could do was get into an argument. Why couldn't things just be peaceful, for once?

"I wonder why he didn't kill me," he said softly.

"What?"

"Sephiroth. Why didn't he kill me? Reno wouldn't have been any match for him, yet he left, for no reason."

"You'll drive yourself crazy trying to understand Sephiroth," she replied, walking over to the other bed and sitting down to face him.

"Maybe it wasn't Sephiroth. Maybe it was Kadaj."

"Whatever the reason...I'm glad you're alright, Cloud." She offered him a slight smile as he met her gaze again. "And you are doing something by being here. Vincent asked you to watch over them."

"You could do that by yourself."

She paused, the light-hearted touch disappearing from her gaze. "Maybe I don't want to do that by myself. Maybe I want you here with me. Maybe I've missed you. And maybe I've resented you for being away from me for so long."

Cloud rolled over and sat up, looking at her seriously. "You know I only left because of Kadaj."

"But you didn't tell me that. You didn't tell me that, and I had to find out about the remnants by running into one. Do you know how afraid I was? It was Sephiroth! I know now he's not the same, and maybe they've changed, but...I was scared."

"Tifa..." he swung his legs over the bed and went to stand, just as she rose from the other bed and walked out of his reach.

She sighed heavily. "I've been waiting for you for so long, Cloud. Why do you still keep me at arms length?"

He walked over to her slowly, placing his hands on her arms as she kept her back turned to him. He stroked her skin gently, placing his face against her hair, taking in the soft, sweet scent. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

Tifa turned to face him, allowing herself to remain in his hold as she looked up into his gentle blue eyes. Her distress was still visible on her face, but this was all she was hoping for. All she wanted out of him. Their problems were still there. Sephiroth was still here. But if they could settle what was between them, that would make all the difference in the world. She drew closer to him, as he cupped her face in his hands.

He kissed her softly, gently. This was the kiss she remembered, the kiss she always wanted to feel. Having him there was enough to wash away her insecurities, to bury her fears, and to remind her that their situation wasn't hopeless.

Aeris had acted for a reason. She must have had a plan for all of this.

* * *

Tifa softly pulled the door closed, watching Cloud through the crack, before it was shut completely. The blonde had finally fallen asleep, so she would do everything possible to at least keep him that way. The rest of Seventh Heaven was quiet, except for the soft murmur coming from the patrons downstairs. She took a quick glance down; everything seemed to be in order. She would join the children in a second, but she thought she should check in the other room first.

The door was kept ajar, and a rather cold breeze was wafting into the hallway. She quickly pushed it open. Cloud's bed was empty, Yazoo was missing. The window was left open, the cool morning breeze rustling the curtains as it came in.

She quickly ran to the window, looking outside, trying to find any trace of the remnant. But she knew by now, he was gone.

Accepting what happened, she closed the window. She glanced over at Shelke. The girl was on the opposite bed, her chin against her chest as she sat against the headboard. She had obviously dozed off, and Tifa couldn't blame her, after being awake all night with them.

That didn't surprise her. What did surprise her was Loz. He was still there, sleep on the floor, curled up like a child.

Why hadn't he gone with his brother? Or better yet, why did his brother leave without him? Was Loz even aware that he was gone?

So many questions, never any answers. And thinking about it wouldn't help her. She was amazed though. She wasn't concerned, not even a little bit, that Yazoo had left. Maybe it was because Loz was there, indicating that he would be back for his brother. Either way, she was completely at peace.

She pulled the cover quietly from the bed, draping it over Loz. She went down on the floor beside him, tucking the blanket around him to make sure it covered him completely. She couldn't help but smile, noticing how innocent he looked.

"Mother..." the word slipped past his lips, a soft whisper. She sat back against the bed, watching him fondly as she gently touched his head. She hoped that in his dreams, he would find his mother, or something that could fill the empty void in him.

She closed her eyes, resting her head back against the bed. She figured this was best place for her to be now, and let the sleep she had been denying come and take her over.

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**A/N: Curious now, aren't you? Tee hee. Please review. :)**


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: Today is a momentous day. It was exactly this day three years ago that I started this fan fiction! I think it was like 2am, I had just read some other FFVII stories, I sat down at the computer and was like "What the hey!" And here we have "Pity". Ha ha!**

**So yeah. This is a tiny chapter. Shortest one so far. It just didn't seem right to include anything else in the chapter. Hopefully you'll like it, and I'll try and get the next chapter up as soon as I can. XD Enjoy.**

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**Chapter Twenty-Six**

The bright sunlight came through the broken windows and the broken ceiling, shining down on the mess that covered the floor. It warmed the large building, making it beautiful and inviting despite all its destruction. It reflected beautifully off the dust-covered walks, off the broken pews and floor panels, and especially off the body of water at the end of the church.

He made his way towards it, as if drawn to it, as if it called him.

He had never been to this place before. It was mentioned once or twice in conversations, but he never knew what it looked like, could never understand what purpose it could possibly have. In its prime, it must have been a beautiful place, something more majestic than it was even now.

Flowers. Flower never grew in Midgar, nor Edge. Yet here they were, littering the floor, surrounding the pool. Their soft fragrance filled the air as they danced in the soft breeze.

He walked among them, drawing closer to the clear, sparkling pool. Yazoo stood before it, looking down into its depths, seeing his reflection staring back at him. His hand was absently on his stomach, his fingers brushing over the place he had been stabbed. He remembered the feeling of the blade in his gut, the look in his brother's eyes as he stared at him, the feeling of fear and power vibrating up his spine as he stood so close.

Yazoo suddenly fell to his knees. He braced himself on his hands, crushing the flowers beneath his palms. He gazed down at nothing, his eyes blurring with his coming tears. He opened his mouth, before closing it a second later, his fingers tangling through the blossoms.

How was this any different than before? He had died once for his mother. They all had. He sacrificed all he had for her. He would have done it again. So why now? He had accused Kadaj of being weak, so why did it surprise him that mother would do away with him for the same reason? Kadaj was doing her will. So why did it upset him so much?

Was it the dreams? Was it the cold blade piercing his body? Was it Vincent? The way he had cared for him, when he had no reason to? He knew his resolve, knew where his loyalties were. Yet he healed him, took him to a warm bed, let his brother stay by his side.

Vincent cared for them where his mother wouldn't. Why kind of a mother was Jenova if his enemy could have more heart than her?

"I don't know what to do," he spoke, as if to someone, as if someone were there to hear him. "I'm afraid. I'm afraid for my brothers, and myself. Why? Why is all of this happening?"

This isn't what she promised them.

"Tell me what to do. I know you're there. You've always been there. Just tell me. Tell me..." He closed his eyes, letting a tear fall down, landing on the flowers, showing that after all, somewhere in there, he did have emotion. He could cry.

"Yazoo."

He lifted his eyes, meeting the soft, gentle voice. He was amazed, but not all that surprised. There was a woman before him, young, beautiful, clothed in pink and the rays of sunlight that were shining down on her. She stood on the surface of the water, as if it were solid, as if the laws of the world didn't apply to her.

He watched her as she stepped closer, his eyes wide.

"Mother?" he asked, desperate to know.

She stopped walking. A smile came to her face, an amused twinkle in her eye. "Is that what you want?" she asked once more, this time more emphatically.

"Yes," he answered.

"You sure?"

"Yes."

Her smile grew, the gesture warm, inviting. She crossed the rest of the distance and stood before him, taking hold of his hand as he reached out for her. He touched her warm hand, surprised she was real, surprised his mother could be such a tangible thing. She had been distant for so long, just out of reach. But this wasn't Jenova. No. This was something more.

"What do I do?" he asked, "How do I help my brother?"

"Kadaj isn't lost," she assured, "He is there, waiting for someone to bring him out again. He needs you and Loz to believe in him, to believe he can fight his way out."

"But he was right. He was right about Jenova all along. How could this happen to him?"

Her smiled lessened, her eyes growing sorrowful. "Sephiroth is a part of you all. He always will be. He, and Jenova, will be in the back of your mind. But I know you three will be strong enough to resist them. Kadaj now needs all of your strength, in order to have the power to break through."

She gave him her other hand. He looked down, surprised to find her holding a glowing, light purple materia. He took it, looking it over with curiosity and wonder. "What is it?"

"Give it to Vincent. He will know what to do with it."

He looked up at her face again, having the feeling that now that she had given him his answer, she was leaving. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a close embrace, afraid to let her go, afraid he'd never see her again.

She stroked his head lovingly. "Don't be afraid. I'm always with you, Yazoo."

He drew away from her, watching her step back from him. He let her hands slip from his grip as she slowly walked back, her loving eyes locked with his. He swallowed against the lump in his throat, his lips parting to call her back to him. But he kept silent, knowing what she said to him was true.

He closed his eyes momentarily. When he opened them again, he found he was alone, his mother no longer standing before him. The place looked as it was the moment he walked in here. If he didn't know better, he could have said he just hallucinated the whole thing. But he knew she was there.

Yazoo looked down at his hand, at the materia held firmly in his grip. A determination came to his eyes as he rose to his feet and made his way out of the church. He knew what he had to do now.

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**A/N: Hopefully he didn't end up way out of character. Ha ha! ****Reviews are always appreciated. :)**


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: I've been mulling over the idea of writing a sequel to this, after it's all done. The only idea I came up with was rather depressing and twisted though. Ha ha! I don't think I'll be using that one. But I'm still trying to develop something, so... :)**

**So, enjoy the next chapter. I'm sure you've all got the feeling is nearing the end now. Not like, next two chapters and it's done or anything, but it's getting there. I'm gonna miss it so much. :(**

**Well, no point in sulking over that now. I'll do that when the time comes. :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.**

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**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

Tifa eyes lazily opened, beholding the room before her. For a moment, she was disoriented, wondering what she was doing on the floor. But the memory soon came back to her, and she looked to the side, wondering why Loz wasn't on the floor only a few feet away. She sat up, the blanket that she had laid over him, which was now laid over her, sliding off her body. She looked over the bed, finding Loz standing before the window.

She rose slowly to her feet, fighting off the tiredness as she walked around the bed, past Shelke, and over to the window. She stood beside him, looking at his turned face as he stared outside. She wondered what he was doing, but she couldn't bring herself to ask. She laid her hand softly on his arm, getting him to turn his attention to her. He smiled, his eyes no longer filled with fear or uncertainty.

"I have to go," he announced.

The thought of him leaving wasn't frightening. It didn't leave her wondering what he was going to do, or where he was going to go. She didn't fear what he would do once he left. All she knew was...she didn't want him to go.

"Go where?" she simply asked.

"Yazoo's waiting for me. We need to find Kadaj. We need to bring him back."

She nodded softly. "I see."

He looked back outside, to the night that had encompassed the town. She watched him still, wondering what she was looking for in his expression. He noticed her stare and met her eyes again, still smiling.

"Will you be back?" she wondered.

Loz shrugged, as if he honestly didn't know. "I'll see you again. I'm sure."

She returned his smile, the gesture a little sad. Why did this feel like good-bye?

He pulled the window open, the cool air billowing into the room. It rustled her hair, made goose bumps rise on her arms. As he opened it fully, he turned back to her. He reached out, placing his hands softly on her shoulders as he drew closer, softly pressing his lips against her cheek. He understood the boundaries now, yet she wouldn't have minded if this last time, he over-stepped them a little.

"Good bye." He stepped onto the window sill, pulling himself up. He looked back at her one last time before he jumped out. She watched him land steadily on the ground below, then start his run down the street. She placed her head against the open glass, smiling fondly as she held herself to block the cold. She watched him till he was just a speck in the distance, growing small and smaller.

"Good luck."

* * *

The water fell down on him, cold and shocking. It soaked his hair and his cloak, but it didn't matter. Even though it soaked him all the way through and left him shivering to the bone, it was unimportant. All he cared about was walking past the waterfall and getting inside.

Vincent entered into the cavern, becoming encompassed in the cold darkness and the dim lights that illuminated the open space. The glowing crystals were enough to shed light on the walls, on the floor, and on the pool of water that gathered in the center of the cave. He stared in wonder at the mass of crystal in the center of the room, as he looked once more upon woman encased inside, protected from the outside world, frozen for the remainder of time.

He came to a sudden stop, catching his breath as he looked ahead, at the silver-haired teen who stood before her.

Kadaj stood in the pool, the water up to his knees. He was soaked just as well, shivering as he gazed up at Lucrecia Crescent. The wing was no longer on his back, but he still held the long sword in his left hand, the blade humming in the silence.

"Kadaj," Vincent said softly. He allowed himself to hope. He had found him, everything was still intact. Sephiroth hadn't acted, not yet.

At the utterance of his name, the remnant turned his head. He looked at Vincent out of the corner of his eye, his blade rising higher in the air. He turned to face him, his steps disturbing the still water.

Vincent's hand clutched Cerberus tighter, praying that he wouldn't have to use it.

Kadaj lifted the sword, his arm shaking as he pointed it at him. "It was a lie," he hissed. There was something unstable in his voice, in his eyes. "Say it was a lie."

Vincent's stare showed his confusion.

"This woman...is not my mother."

"It wasn't a lie," he replied cautiously.

"Jenova is my mother."

Vincent took a step forward, staring directly into Sephiroth's eyes. He wasn't sure if there was any point in trying to convince him of the truth. He could try; he could at least get him talking, at least buy some time...for something.

"Jenova isn't your mother."

Anger flared in those unstable eyes. His grip on his sword tightened.

"Kadaj," Vincent carefully, "I know you're there. Listen to me."

Sephiroth smiled, his instability melting away, being replaced by confidence and superiority. "Do you pity this body? Why? He is nothing more than a puppet. Nothing but a tool. He exists solely for that reason. Ever since he was given life, even after your precious Cetra gave him life again, that life was still mine to us."

"You're wrong," Vincent declared. "Kadaj isn't yours to use and throw away."

"He is a part of me. Nothing can ever change that."

"Yes, but he changed, and that part of you changed as well. I know he's in there, and I won't let you use him to bring destruction again."

"Will you kill him then?" Sephiroth asked.

"I have to. I'm sorry, Kadaj."

The teen's face smirked, "I need this vessel. I won't let you destroy it."

Sephiroth lifted his sword high in the air. In the blink of an eye he sliced through the water. It burst outward, charged with energy and crashing into Vincent. He flew back toward the cave entrance, but managed to regain his footing, just in time as Kadaj charged him. He swerved out of the way quickly, avoiding his stabbing sword. It grazed his side, cutting his shirt yet missing his skin. He leapt into the air, firing at his opponent.

Sephiroth quickly moved his sword, using it to block each of the bullets Vincent sent his direction. He took a step back then leapt into the air after him. He came into Vincent's space, lifting his sword and bringing it down on him. Vincent lifted his left arm just in time, the blade scraping against the metal of his gauntlet. The power in the blow forced him back to the grown, throwing him into the pool of water.

He crashed down on his back, the cold water shocking his system. He kept his composure and managed to roll himself out of the way just before Sephiroth bore down on him, his sword stabbing the ground where his body once lay. He kicked at the teen, but Sephiroth lifted his arm to block the blow. He jumped up again, putting space between them, giving Vincent enough time to get back on his feet. He did so just in time, before Sephiroth landed in front of him.

He slashed left at right, giving Vincent little time to avoid his strikes. He spun around, firing at Sephiroth, forcing him to draw back to defend himself. Vincent then went on offensive. He charged him, lifting his claw high and striking at the teen. Sephiroth lifted the sword just in time to deflect it, then took the opportunity to kick him. He hit Vincent in the stomach, sending him flying. His back crashed against one of the clusters of crystal, pain reverberating up his spine. He opened his eyes, just as Sephiroth came soaring toward him. He ducked low, the swipe he took for his head shattering the cluster behind him.

Vincent jumped out of the way, making his way more toward the center of the room. He spun to face Sephiroth, as he followed after him, his sword looking for blood. Vincent lifted Cerberus, using it to hold his blade at bay as it came too close to his face. Sephiroth withdrew the blade then swung at him again, leaving Vincent to duck in order avoid this one, only to get struck in the side of his head by his fist. He stumbled, leaving an opportunity for Sephiroth.

Pain seared his left side, the cold metal blade cutting his flesh. Vincent groaned in pain, stepping unsteadily to the side. He lifted his arm to block another blow. He kept back the sword, but he couldn't stop Sephiroth's kick at his wounded side. He fell back, crashing in the cold pool, unable to gather himself before the cold blade cut him again.

His warm blood ran down his chest, staining the water red. He cried out, trying to pull himself to his feet.

He leapt into the air out of desperation, just to put some space between them. Sephiroth anticipated his move. He threw his sword, the blade slicing through the air faster than he could see.

He gasped aloud, the pain over-bearing, as the cold blade pierced his body, directly through his chest. He crashed back to the ground, in the pool of water. He gasped of air around his pain, as he pushed himself up on his hands and knees. He wasn't about to be defeated, to die like this.

He looked up as Kadaj's body walked slowly over to him. He lifted his Cerberus, pulled the trigger.

Sephiroth closed the distanced between them in the blink of an eye. He struck his hand with his foot, knocking his gun from his grasp, leaving it to fall, lost in the pool. He met his emerald eyes before he kicked him again, tossing him onto his back.

Vincent groaned loudly in pain, rolling over as he took hold of the blade in his body. Sephiroth was soon as his side, his hand on the hilt, ready to do for Vincent what he was about to do himself. Only less carefully.

He screamed aloud, the pain causing him to cringe and convulse, as Sephiroth wrenched the sword from his body. Vincent was left to his pain, as Sephiroth took a step back from him, watching him gasp and cough up blood. His eyes were uninterested, devoid of pleasure, holding no remorse. He lowered his sword, his eyes narrowing slightly before he turned away from him, his attention going back to Lucrecia.

Vincent rolled himself over, grunting against the pain. He watched Kadaj walking away from, approaching the large crystal again. He was left to lay there, to watch, unable to do anything...again.

Sephiroth looked the woman over, no longer shaken, no longer uncertain. He took his sword in both hands and pulled it back, poised to shatter the crystal, to get to his real goal inside.

"Kadaj!" Vincent called, using whatever strength he could to get the name out.

Sephiroth stopped. The quivering returned to his arms. A snarl appeared on the determined face. The eyes were locked on the woman before him, darting around her entirety, taking her in, trying to decipher what she was. The snarl intensified, anger coming back to Sephiroth's eyes.

His knees suddenly buckled and he fell into the pool. From his place on the ground, Vincent watched him, heavily heaving. "Kadaj," he said again, this time his voice barely a whisper.

Kadaj's hand was on his head, his fingers digging into his scalp, fighting off a sudden pain. Vincent struggled to move, to make his way over to him. But the pain was too much. He could only lay there, bleeding.

Without any warning, Kadaj rose from his knees. He turned away from the crystal, from the cave entirely, leaving Vincent forgotten along with it.

"Kadaj!" he called again, as he walked back through the waterfall, running out of there like something was chasing him. Vincent rolled onto his back again. He stared up at the dark ceiling, watching it grow dimmer and dimmer.

_I failed...again._

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**A/N: My sister pointed out that everyone keeps getting stabbed in this. Ha ha! What is that, four now?**

**Please review. Or Kadaj might stab you. 0.o**


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: Yay! I have over 100 reviews! *does a little dance* Thanks so much everybody. XD**

**So, I meant to put this up yesterday, but my day was too crammed to allow that. And for some reason, this chapter was harder to write than I thought it would be. But I think it turned out okay. Anyhoo...enjoy. :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters. |-(**

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**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

"I failed...again."

_"How so?" the voice asked in the distance. It rang clear in his ears, clearer in his mind. _

_He opened his eyes, looked to the bright blue sky that was above him. There was no hard floor beneath his back, no sharp pain in his chest. He was on a soft bed of grass, bathed in warm sunlight, surrounded by the sweet scent of flowers. Everything inside him was still, so peaceful, so quiet._

_Everything but his thoughts. They tortured him. They reminded him that no matter how hard he tried, he was doomed to the existence of a failure. After everything that had happened, after all the time and effort spent, after he had allowed himself to hope again, here he was._

_"You don't believe that," she continued. He heard her footsteps on the grass beside him, drawing closer._

_"Yes, I do." Vincent turned his eyes from the sky, looking to the pair of brown boots that stood not too far away from him. His eyes moved up her pink dress, to her smiling face, and eventually to her eyes. She looked down at him, unafraid of the situation unfolding outside of this...whatever it was._

_He wasn't surprised to see her here. It was strange, but not surprising._

_"Am I dead?" he asked._

_She shook her head softly. "No. You can't be killed so easily."_

_He sighed heavily, lifting his hand and moving the bangs out of his eyes. He looked at the blue sky once more, watching the white clouds drift by. "Why is this happening? After everything he did...how could Sephiroth take over him again?"_

_"Kadaj must learn to control the part of Sephiroth that is inside of him. They all must. If he cannot, then he'll never truly be free to live."_

_"Are you testing him?"_

_"No. Sephiroth is testing him. Sephiroth will test them all."_

_"Then what can I do?" he asked desperately, "How can I save him?"_

_"You cannot save him. Only Kadaj can save himself. All you can do is believe in him...and show him the way." Aeris offered him her hand, her eyes still smiling as she bent down to look at him more closely. He looked at the woman he barely knew, the woman who had given her life to save this planet. She never would have brought Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz back if she wasn't certain they could be saved. _

_"He needs you, Vincent, in more ways than you know."_

_"I know. And I think...I think I need him, too."_

_Her smile widened, her palm opening further. "Then help him."_

_Vincent lifted his arm, placing his hand softly in hers, taking that which she was offering him._

* * *

"Vincent? Vincent!"

The voice called him from his unconscious state, slowly pulling him back to reality. It sounded so far away. It was drawing nearer, but he didn't want to approach it. He didn't want to wake up to what he knew would be before him. He wanted to stay within the shelter of his dreams. He wanted...

He forced his eyes open, breaking the disorienting thoughts. He saw the face above him-the pale skin and the long silver hair that was hanging down toward him. For a moment, he thought it was Kadaj. But a second later his vision cleared, and he realized the young man over him wasn't Kadaj but Yazoo. His perplexed eyes were gazing down at him, concern creasing his brow.

When the remnant realized Vincent was awake, he drew back slightly.

Vincent took a moment. He gathered his thoughts and assessed the damage done to his body. He was still in pain, but it had dulled considerably. He lifted his hand, touching the hole in his clothes where the blade had gone through. The blood beneath it was dried, the wound closed over with a thick scab. In a matter of days, any evidence of it would be gone completely. That was just the way his body worked. However, he didn't have that long to wait.

"What happened?" Yazoo spoke.

Vincent looked over to him, then to Loz who was standing behind him. The elder of the brothers was glancing around the cave, looking a little uncomfortable. He seemed to be purposefully keeping his eyes off of Lucrecia's crystal.

"You have to ask?" Vincent replied. He grit his teeth, then pushed himself up, grunting against all the pain that assailed his body. "Where's Kadaj?"

"Far away."

The pain in his body slowly dissipated. Vincent took a second to rest before trying to move further. Yazoo's eyes searched him up and down, evaluating if he would really be able to move at all. They sat in silence for a moment. Loz began pacing, his eyes finally going to the crystal. Yazoo listened to his steps, his gaze to the floor.

"Who is she?" Loz asked, breaking the silence.

Vincent didn't have to look to know that Loz was staring at Lucrecia in wonder and confusion. He was watching her with a childish fascination, knowing and feeling something he couldn't explain. Yazoo felt it as well. That was why he sat there, silent, his eyes still glued to the floor.

"Her name's Lucrecia. She was Sephiroth's mother. His _real_mother." He could've explained further that she was in turn their mother, but he didn't have it in him to argue at the moment. And he was sure an argument would happen in one way or another.

"I didn't know he had a mother," Loz commented. He reached out, laying his hand softly against the cold crystal. He felt a vibration run through his arm. It stirred the water, leaving ripples to run along its surface.

Vincent's attention was grabbed when Yazoo suddenly held his hand out to him, palm upward. For a second, he thought he was offering to help him up. But a bright light suddenly came from his palm, and when it died away it left a softly glowing, light purple materia in his hand. He was offering it to him.

"What is this?" Vincent wondered, as he took it from his hand. He looked it over, watching the bright lights that danced around inside it.

"I don't know. Mother gave it to me."

"Mother?"

"Aeris. She told me you would know what to do with it."

"Hmph." He turned the orb around in his hand, looking at it more closely, trying to figure out what it was, and what it did. "Looks like a Protomateria."

"What's a Protomateria?"

Vincent didn't feel like going into a long explanation, so he didn't answer his question. "And Aeris gave this to you?"

Yazoo nodded his head assuredly.

"Then I guess we better use it. Whatever it does." He tucked the materia away in his belt, then prepared himself to move again. "Can you lead me to Kadaj?"

"Are you sure you should be moving?" the remnant asked, watching him with uncertainty.

"I can't just sit here. We need to find your brother."

Whether he agreed with him or not, Yazoo stood fluidly to his feet, his hand out to him once more, this time to help him up. Vincent took the help gladly, once again groaning as he pulled himself to his feet. He stood holding the major wound as he steadied his breathing. He looked across the cave, to Loz as he stood before Lucrecia. His hand was still on the crystal, his eyes glistening in the soft light.

"Loz," Yazoo said softly, "We have to find Kadaj."

The elder brother looked away, blinking his eyes rapidly to rid them of his tears. He wiped his nose, then turned his attention to the two of them fully, making his way through the water toward them. They all stood together, looking between each other.

Vincent thought it was strange. He had started this journey with Kadaj, trying to find the two remnants who were with him now. Now Kadaj was the one who was missing, and they were the ones who had to find him.

"Will we bring him back?" Loz asked, doubtful, afraid of what the answer would be. They both knew what the only other alternative would be.

Vincent decided that it was time he make a new promise. "Yes. We'll bring him back...I promise."

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**A/N: Ha Ha! I just gave myself opportunity for a sequel. Although I'm still not sure how I would go about that... And I have a fear of sequels. They never turn out so well for me. ****:( They usually end up with me wanting to kill off the main character because he's too darn mopey. |-( And I can't have that.**

**Anyhoo. Excuse the rant. Please review. :)**


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: *nervous laughter* Hey everybody! It's been over 2 weeks. I guess I should have mentioned I was going out of town. On top of that, I had a birthday, then the holiday, and things have just been very busy. So I'm sorry about the wait! The next chapter will be up on schedule. Promise. XD**

**So, I hope you enjoy this next chapter. It was a little hard to write at first, but I think it turned out okay. Just let me know what you think. XD**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.**

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**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

Nibelheim. He wasn't very surprised that his guides had brought him here. The town wasn't that far away from the cave, and on top of that, it held some significance where Sephiroth was concerned. It was only logical that their quest had eventually brought them here.

When they reached the small country town, it was already night. Most of the townsfolk were away in their homes, oblivious to the three strange travelers. Without stopping once, they crossed through, turning their attention to the mountains and the reactor built beyond.

When they got there, dawn was a little closer. The company of the three of them stopped in the entrance of the reactor, resting for the first time since they started their journey. Vincent looked around the abandoned facility, noting the destruction-the footprints of a fight that had taken place several years ago. The path before them was clear, ripped open by their very enemy. They had only to step through into the larger chamber.

"Are you sure he's inside?" Vincent questioned, his voice quiet. He looked to Yazoo and Loz at his left. The more feminine of the two met his eyes, nodding his head assuredly. He wouldn't have lied to him, and they wouldn't have misled him here.

Vincent was convinced, and determined. The end of the journey he had started with Kadaj was about to end here. He didn't say anything more to his companions. They didn't say anything to him. They simply began walking once more, up the stairs to the chamber that led beyond. Vincent was the first to step into the dimly lit area. He looked around for any sign of Kadaj, but he saw none. If he didn't know any better, he would have said the place was empty. But he knew the boy was in here somewhere. Sephiroth was watching them.

He made his way to the edge of the circular platform and looked down, to the radiant mako abyss below, to the pipes that extended through the complex in different directions, to the twisted walkway that led to the place where Jenova was once kept. Loz and Yazoo walked up to him, standing on either side. Their eyes also took in the place, and they seemed entranced by it for a moment.

But Yazoo was the first to break his trance. His eyes scanned the area, looking for their brother. He could feel him close by, even though his eyes said he was not there.

Vincent stepped forward, carefully walking up the twisted walkway. His hand was on Cerberus, slowly drawing the gun from its holster. He stopped halfway up the walkway when he felt the hairs rise on the back of his neck.

In the blink of an eye, he leapt, leaving the place he had once stood to be broken into a million pieces. He flew through the air, spinning around to face Sephiroth as the one-winged angel drove his blade through the walkway. Kadaj's eyes flashed up to him, full of fury and malice, as he brought himself out of the attack, soaring through the air on his wing, turning to face his opponent.

"Kadaj!" Loz cried, his voice echoing in the vast space. Sephiroth ignored him; his attention was solely on Vincent.

Vincent landed on one of the large pipes, Cerberus pointed at his opponent. He took no pause before firing. Sephiroth quickly deflected the bullets with his blade, before he flew towards him. He pulled his sword back, waiting till he was within reach of Vincent before swinging.

Vincent ducked low, letting himself tumble off the pipe to avoid his attacks. He grabbed onto it with his hand, swinging himself over and back toward the platform at the entrance. The moment he landed, Yazoo jumped.

The remnant soared toward Sephiroth. He landed on top of the pipe to face his younger brother, ducking low to avoid the swing his took for his head. Yazoo spun his leg around, attempting to hit him. Sephiroth swerved effortlessly out of the way, his katana rising again to callously cut away at the remnant.

Vincent fired Cerberus again. The bullets flew over Yazoo's head, going for Sephiroth. Once again, they missed their target, but they gave Yazoo enough time to act.

The remnant pulled himself away from Sephiroth, putting enough space between them.

Vincent charged their enemy, Loz following closely behind. Sephiroth drew away from the bullet fire, flying higher, causing the others to follow after him. Vincent leapt from the platform onto the pipe behind Yazoo, then leapt again. He came within reach of Sephiroth, using his gauntlet to block one blow before attacking himself. He kicked at Sephiroth, managing to knock him back but not do him any serious damage.

But it was all that Loz needed for his attack. The eldest remnant came soaring through the air, flipping over Vincent and Sephiroth. He landed behind the one-winged angel, his arms latching onto him.

Sephiroth was pulled from the air, the extra weigh sending him spiraling downward. The both of them crashed hard onto the metal pipe, denting it before they fell again.

Sephiroth threw his head back, slamming it into Loz's face. The blow was enough to jar him, to make him loosen his hold just enough for him to struggle out. His drove his elbow into Loz's ribs, succeeding in removing him entirely. The one-winged angel steadied himself in the air once more, as Loz was left falling to the abyss below.

Vincent jumped and propelled himself towards Loz, matching his speed before the remnant was swallowed by the mako. He grabbed him by the back of the shirt, then using the power that was within him, flew them back to safety. He deposited Loz back on the platform, then spun to face Kadaj again. He fired Cerberus, just as Sephiroth flew back toward him.

Vincent swerved left and right, forced to draw further and further away from Sephiroth as he struck. His wounds stung from the movement, but he pushed past his pain. He only focused on the battle, and what had to be done.

Yazoo joined the fight again. While Kadaj's back was turned to him, he charged, calling on the power of the materia laying dormant in his arm. The blue orb came to life, pulsing within his muscles as the power built up. He came within reach of Sephiroth, his arm extended as the lightning burst forth.

The electricity engulfed the remnant's body. Sephiroth convulsed, his teeth gritting from the pain, managing to hold back his cries. He suddenly spun around, fighting off the pain enough to strike at Yazoo. His fist slammed into the other remnant's head, knocking him away and send him crashing into the wall. The remnant managed to catch himself on another pipe before he fell.

Vincent fired at him once more, the bullets catching him while he was turned. Sephiroth was knocked back, blood spurting from the bullet wounds made in his back and wing. He let out a cry of fury, spinning around to face Vincent and striking him with all the strength he had.

Vincent raised his arm to block it, but the force sent him flying. His back slammed against the wall, the pain reverberating up his spine and throbbing in the wound in his chest. He groaned in pain, sliding down and crashing back to the platform. He landed on his knees, his hand over his chest as he regained his breath.

He lifted his eyes to the scene before him, to the battle between the three remnants. He sighed heavily as he reached into his belt, pulling out the materia. Now would be as good a time as ever.

Yazoo was circling in the air around Sephiroth, evading his swipes while trying to attack him at the same time. Loz was jumping and propelling himself from the walls and pipes, the both of them keeping him occupied as he struggled to fly, blood dripping from his wounds.

"Loz!" Vincent yelled, grabbing his attention. The eldest remnant met his gaze, returning the nod he gave him. He understood what he wanted of him, and jumped for Kadaj again.

He flung himself at the younger remnant, latching onto him and ignoring the pain from the cut his katana had made in his flesh. He held him tightly, even as he struggled to get him off. The two of them spun downwards again, heading for the mako below. Yazoo jumped at them, the force of his body pushing them from their current fall. They were now headed for the platform, Yazoo's added weight making them dive faster.

Kadaj's voice filled the reactor as he cried out in rage. With a sudden burst of Sephiroth's power, the two of them were blown from his body in different directions, sent crashing into wall and the place where Jenova once stood. Kadaj fell to the platform, gasping heavily from the exertion.

He lifted his gaze to Vincent, his eyes going wide in surprise as he saw the red-clad man soaring towards him, the purple materia shining in all its power.

It drew its energy from Vincent, feeding off him as he drew closer to Kadaj, his arm outstretched. Sephiroth had no time to react, to try to move or fight him off. He could only fall back from the force of the contact, as Vincent's body crashed into his, and the materia was driven into his chest.

And everything went black.

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**A/N: 0_0 Only three chapters left...Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!**

**Please review. :)**


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: My computer is working suspiciously fast...Haha! Must take advantage of this.**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.**

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**Chapter Thirty**

Where was he?

Vincent was no longer in the reactor, that much was obvious. Actually, he didn't seem to be anywhere. There was darkness all around him, above him, beneath him. It stretched out as far as he could see...even though he wasn't really seeing anything. He was alone, standing in the nothingness. Kadaj, Yazoo, Loz...they weren't here. There was only him, and the darkness.

For a long moment, he just stood there, wondering if he was supposed to move at all. Could he even move? And if so, where would moving take him?

He took a step, walking as if he stood on a floor. He walked a few more paces, closer to the nothingness. Then he stopped, wondering if this was the right direction to take. Something didn't seem right. Something seemed out of place...even though there was nothing there.

"Hello, Vincent," the voice came from behind him. It sank deep into his being, vibrating down his spine and sinking into his mind. The moment he heard it, he knew who it was, and he was beginning to understand where he was.

Slowly, he turned around, facing the silver-haired, one-winged angel. Sephiroth stood before him, a confident smile on his beautiful face. His eyes sank into him, taunting him, reminding him over and over of all that had gone wrong.

So, Vincent thought, not a Protomateria.

Vincent would have drawn Cerberus and shot him right then and there, if the gun had been in his grasp. But it was missing, as was his gauntlet, and everything else that seemed to identify him. There was only him, and his scars, and everything that made him who he truly was.

"Leave this place," Sephiroth commanded, his voice level and controlled. He wasn't afraid of him. Sephiroth was in his element, and he held the power here.

"I can't do that," he replied. He doubted he could even if he wanted to.

"Why are you here? There is nothing you can do for that puppet. He is lost."

"He's not. And nothing you say will convince me otherwise." Vincent took a step back, moving his gaze from Sephiroth to everything beyond. "Kadaj!" he yelled, "I know you're here! I know where I am, you have to be here!"

"Be silent," Sephiroth ordered, the annoyance clear in his voice.

Vincent smiled softly, meeting his emerald gaze again, noting his irritability and fear. "Kadaj!"

He stopped calling, the smile on his face mellowing out and turning to relief. Emerging from the darkness, standing behind Sephiroth, was Kadaj. The teen looked so small by comparison, so young and fragile. The expression on his face was so uncharacteristic, so timid and afraid.

"Kadaj..."

Sephiroth glanced back at the remnant, disdain in his eyes. Kadaj stared ahead at Vincent, as if wondering if he were really there. A light suddenly came to his eyes, when he realized he was. He ran toward him, bolting through the darkness, desperate to be with him again.

But he never was able to reach him, for the moment he ran past Sephiroth, the greater man reach out. His hand took him by the hair, pulling him to a sudden stop with a cry of pain. He was thrown back, left tumbling in the darkness behind him.

"Kadaj!" Vincent ran forward, but was stopped by an invisible force. Something was between them, holding him at bay.

Sephiroth gazed down at Kadaj, the smug expression on his face. The teen pushed himself off the floor, recovering from the fall. He breathed heavily, keeping his sobs at bay as he lifted his head.

Vincent took a step back, deciding to stop struggling. He ignored Sephiroth and kept his eyes only on Kadaj. The one-winged angel began laughing, his voice ringing in the emptiness.

"Kadaj," Vincent said softly. "I'm here."

"Yes, Kadaj, he's here," Sephiroth mocked, turning to face his lesser form. He took a step closer, looming over him. "He's come here to kill you."

"No!" Vincent countered, "I'm here to free you."

"Vincent..." the remnant said softly. He lifted his gaze, his tear-filled eyes meeting his crimson orbs.

Sephiroth stooped down, grabbing hold of Kadaj's arm. He pulled him to his feet, turning him to face the foreign man in his mind. Sephiroth stood behind him, his arms wrapped around the boy's body to keep him in place. His smile was still present, his eyes boring into Vincent.

"Do you really believe him?" Sephiroth asked, his lips close to the remnant's face, whispering into his ear. "Are you really that foolish?"

"Don't listen to him," Vincent said. "You know why I'm here."

"Yes, you remember his promise. He said he would kill you if this happened."

"I never said that. You didn't lie to me, Kadaj. I won't kill you!"

"Do you really think he would risk this happening again?" Sephiroth continued, "You're a threat to him and his friends; if they don't kill you, they will lock you away for the rest of your life."

"I promise you, I won't let that happen. You have to believe me, Kadaj! You can break away from him!" Vincent said.

"He will never be free of me," Sephiroth replied, addressing Vincent once again. Keeping his eyes on him, he lifted his hand, grabbing Kadaj under his jaw.

He kept Kadaj facing Vincent as he whispered into his ear once more. "He knows it's true. And knowing that, do you think he could ever love you?"

"I do," Vincent admitted in a whisper.

"You think you've found your mother, now you're desperate for a father? The only reason that man pities you is because of his past! Without it, you would be nothing to him. He would have left you out in that snow!"

"He's lying!" Vincent shouted, "Don't listen to him. I came here for you, Kadaj. Your brothers are waiting for you. And I promise, I'll never leave you."

"Vincent..."

Sephiroth's eyes flashed to Vincent, before going back to Kadaj. His frustration was obvious, his grip tightening on the remnant, holding him firmly in place. "You will never have him!"

"Vincent!" the remnant cried.

Trying again, Vincent lunged forward. He pushed past whatever it was that was holding him back, forced his way to Kadaj and Sephiroth. He watched panic flash in the greater man's eyes the moment they came within reach. He grabbed hold of Kadaj, taking him firmly by the shoulder.

"No!" Sephiroth exclaimed, his grip on the remnant only tightening further, "You won't take him!"

Vincent pulled against Sephiroth with all his strength, struggling to free the remnant from his hold. Kadaj reached beyond Sephiroth, grabbing Vincent desperately by the front of his shirt. He cried out in fear, the darkness around them beginning to implode as the three of them struggled. Wind came from nowhere, thrashing against them violently as the inner turmoil surfaced in a way that affected them all.

"Vincent!" Kadaj cried again, as he felt himself being pulled further away, Sephiroth's hold on him tightening as his situation grew more desperate. But Vincent only held him tighter, swearing to himself that he would not let go. He looked down at the boy, at his frightened eyes-at eyes he had never seen before. Looking back at him wasn't Sephiroth, or Jenova, or any other terrible thing he could potentially become. He saw the eyes of a child, of all that he ever was, deep down inside.

"Fight him!" Vincent beckoned.

The remnant cried out, his voice rising over the storm raging in the darkness. He broke through, using his own strength to free himself. Sephiroth's grip slipped from the remnant, the one-winged angel blowing away in the darkness. His cries of rage echoed in the distance, as Kadaj's weight slammed into Vincent, the force knocking him back.

The floor beneath his feet shattered, the storm consuming everything within this place, turning it inward, imploding it, destroying it.

Everything suddenly went calm and still, as Vincent held Kadaj tightly against his chest, the both of them falling...

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**A/N: I'm not sure if it was obvious or not, but all of that chapter took place in Kadaj's mind. **

**Please review. :)**


	31. Chapter 31

******A/N: W********hen I first started this story, I planned on making it a sort of three part. There was supposed to be "Pity", where Vincent found Kadaj, another one where Tifa found Loz, then another one where Reno found Yazoo. They were going to be about 10 chapter long stories, then I was gonna do a fourth one with all the remnants together and a nifty plot. That never panned out, but I'm glad I got to incorporate those three into this one story. :)**

******I hope you enjoy this chapter, and the touch of fluff that comes with it. :)**

******Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.**

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**Chapter Thirty-One**

Vincent slowly opened his eyes. He beheld the ceiling of the reactor, and all the damage their fight had caused. Everything was still, too quiet to be comfortable. He immediately looked to the right, to the young, silver-haired remnant who laid beside him. Kadaj's eyes were still closed, his chest rising and falling heavily. The bullet wounds on his body were crudely bandaged, the loss of blood seeming to have taken its toll.

The sound of soft sobbing made him look to the entrance. Just beside the door was Loz, the other remnant sitting with his back against the wall, his hands over his face as he cried softly. Yazoo was nowhere to be found, and for a moment, Vincent was afraid.

But his attention was diverted again when he saw movement coming from Kadaj. A soft light came from his chest, the purple glow rising from his body and materializing into the form of a materia. The orb rolled off his body, falling to the platform. The noise of the glass hitting the floor roused Loz from his reverie. He looked to the two of them, his wet eyes wide with shock and hope. He rose from his spot by the door and ran over to them, just as Kadaj's eyes opened.

The materia rolled along the floor, moving with a will of its own as it sought the edge, then plunged itself into the mako below. The wing protruding from Kadaj's back suddenly dissipated, withering away into a pile of dust and feathers.

"Kadaj?" the elder brother called hopefully, looking down at the younger male with a soft smile on his face.

Kadaj met his gaze, a soft smile touching his lips. "Hello, Loz."

Loz looked so excited he probably would have grabbed the teen in a big bear hug, if he wasn't injured and he didn't stand a chance of hurting him. Loz managed to contain himself, his smile softening as Kadaj placed his hand reassuringly on his arm.

"Where's Yazoo?" Vincent asked, groaning as he rolled himself over to face the remnants.

"He ran back to town to get a materia," Loz answered, "We were afraid you guys would never wake up."

"How long were we out?" Vincent wondered.

"Almost four hours."

"Four hours?" Vincent repeated, disbelieving. He sighed heavily, his head falling back to the floor when he found out he was far more exhausted than he realized. He took a moment to just rest his forehead against the cold floor. The pain in his chest hadn't lessened much in those four hours, and after the strenuous fight, it was worse than before.

He wasn't complaining though. It was all worth it, and at least it was over with.

A soft touch on his hair made him open his eyes again. He looked to Kadaj, the young remnant smiling at him. He also looked exhausted and in pain, but there was joy in his eyes that Vincent had never seen before. He returned his soft smile.

"Are you injured, Loz?" Vincent asked, ending the quiet moment.

"I'm fine," he replied.

"Good. Can you carry your brother?"

"Carry me where?" Kadaj wondered.

"Into town. We very well can't stay here all day."

"But..." Kadaj began, as Loz suddenly took him in his strong arms, lifting him effortlessly from the floor. "What about you?"

"I'll manage," he replied. He pushed himself up, cringing against his pain as he made his way to his feet. He took a moment to steady himself, and make sure he really could survive the trek back down the mountain. He had managed to make it all the way up here, another hour or so couldn't be that bad. "Come on."

They made their way out of the reactor, and started their journey down the mountain. Their walk was slow, due mostly to Vincent. Even though Loz was in fact a little injured, Vincent had no doubt he could have ran all the way to Nibelheim, with Kadaj in tow. After half a mile or so, Vincent was inclined to tell him do to just that. But it was never necessary.

"Yazoo's coming," Loz informed, suddenly stopping under the shelter of the cave they had entered. He looked ahead into the tunnel, as if watching the other brother approach. He crouched low and gently set Kadaj down on the floor, the younger brother cringing in pain as he leaned to the side, resting his head and shoulder against the cave wall, careful not to aggravate his wounds. He gingerly touched the bandages.

Vincent rested against the wall as well, standing only for a second, before he slid down. He sat by Kadaj, breathing heavily as they waiting for the other remnant.

In less than a minutes, Yazoo came running through the tunnel. He came to a skidding halt just before them, his eyes quickly taking in the scene. Vincent saw the relief come to his expression-that tiny glimmer of joy that just sparkled in his eyes, before it was wiped away by his serenity.

He slowly lowered himself down to his younger brother, lifting the restore materia he held in his hand. The light shone brightly in the dark cave, relief coming to Kadaj's face as the power worked on his wounds. Vincent watched the spectacle. Kadaj pain vanished altogether, the crease in his brow disappearing. He looked his older brother in the eyes, conveying thoughts that never needed to be spoken. The look said enough, showing his regret.

"Mother told me you would make it," Yazoo whispered. A soft smile touched his lips.

"Mother?" Kadaj wondered.

"Aeris," he confirmed.

Loz crouched down by his two brothers, watching the materia heal all of Kadaj's wounds. There was joy on their faces, affection in their identical eyes. They were finally together again, complete. Kadaj had finally gotten what he wanted.

"Vincent?" The young remnant was now looking at him, concern in his eyes. Vincent wondered why he looked so afraid, as the exhaustion finally took him over, and he gave into the urge to sleep.

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Vincent slowly opened his eyes and greeted by sunlight. Sunlight was coming through the window, hanging high in the sky, shining down on his bed. No, this wasn't his bed. And this wasn't his room.

It must have been around noon, from what he could tell. And it was more than obvious he was in an inn. Probably still in Nibelheim.

He rolled over, suddenly being confronted by a warm body. Being gentler with his movements, he turned over completely. Kadaj lay beside him, the teen's head rested on a separate pillow. His eyes were closed.

Vincent smiled softly, laying down again, resting his head in the soft pillow. He looked down at his chest, at his open shirt and the wound that was no longer there. The restore materia had done its job well; not even a scar remained. The three of them must have carried him back here after he passed out.

He looked to Loz and Yazoo, both brothers asleep on two separate beds. There was a third, but it seemed that its occupant had only laid in it for a while, before deciding to come to Vincent's.

"I know you're not asleep," Vincent said in a whisper, in order to not wake the others.

Kadaj slowly opened his eyes, purposefully keeping them away from Vincent's. "I was cold," he explained.

Vincent doubted that. It was rather hot in the room, in fact. He didn't call him out on it though. He let the boy keep his pride in tact, and only smiled an amused smile.

He closed his eyes again, deciding to rest a bit longer. It felt like he hadn't had a good nights sleep in weeks. He might as well just lay there. After all, things were the way they should be now. They had all finally had peace. Whatever they were going to do after this day...he would face that when the time came.

He was stirred again when he felt a soft touch tickling his skin. He opened his eyes once more and saw Kadaj's hand on his chest, his finger softly tracing the spot where his wound once was. The boy's eyes were pained, full of anger, shame, and regret.

"It wasn't your fault," Vincent told him, knowing where his thoughts were.

"He tells me otherwise," Kadaj replied in a broken whisper. "He tells me I was weak."

He. Sephiroth. Of course, he would never be gone. But Vincent was confident that he would never claim Kadaj's body again.

"Well I'm tell you he's lying. You're not weak, Kadaj. You broke the hold he had on you."

"You did that, not me."

"No," Vincent said affirmatively, "It wasn't possible for me to have. All I did was show you the way."

Kadaj thought about what he said. Whether he believed him or not, Vincent wasn't sure. The boy still kept his eyes averted, as he drew in closer, resting his head on Vincent's shoulder and his body on top of his arm.

"It's very cold in here," he whispered.

Vincent smiled, letting his head sink back into the pillow. He stared at the blank ceiling, letting his thoughts slip back to that time in Junon. They had come full circle since then, since Kadaj climbed into his bed and pleaded with him for his freedom. He now was free, and there was a trust between them Vincent thought they would never build.

He would watch over them now, all three of them. He would help them find their way. He promised that to Kadaj, and owed it to Lucrecia.

He rested his head against Kadaj's, closing his eyes and deciding to sleep a little longer.

Another smile came to his lips when he had another thought. Spring was coming. He heard Nibelheim was nice this time of year...

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**A/N: I tried putting the right amount of fluff in there without over-doing it. I wanted to make it sweet without throwing a wrench in Kadaj's character. I find so many good stories spoiled by the fact that the writers make him act like a little girl. Believe me, I'm all for clingy, emotional Kadaj, but come on! He's initially an evil, unstable fragment of Sephiroth-not a teenage girl having mood swings!**

**Anyway... lol Please review. :)**

***sniffle* Only one chapter left. :( Boy, I'm gonna miss this story.**


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N: Here we are, my fine readers and reviewers: the last chapter. Thanks to all your positive feedback, I have decided to do a sequel. ^_^ I've already gotten some pretty good suggestions for it, but if any of you want to give me any ideas, or just some things you'd like to see happen in it, let me know. I'm open to all ideas. It might not be as deep as this one, but then again...you never know. :)**

**So, enjoy... **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its character.**

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**Chapter Thirty-Two**

The noise of the city of Edge was at its loudest in the center square. The citizens crowded all around, going in a myriad of directions. Cars and trucks drove by, children laughed as they ran through the streets. Spring had finally come, and the warm air was inviting after long months of hiding from the cold.

Tifa's eyes scanned over the stands before her. She looked at the many different fruits and vegetables offered, wondering which would be the best to have for tonight's meal. It was a special occasion, after all. Cid and Barrett were coming back to Edge, and Marlene was so excited about seeing her father again, she wanted to do something special. Tifa decided to help the young girl cook a meal for everyone.

"Here," Marlene said, depositing a couple peppers in the bag Tifa held.

"Will that be all?" the man running the vegetable stand asked.

"Yes," Tifa replied. She quickly paid him, then both her and her daughter were making their way through the crowd, back toward Seventh Heaven. On the way, they met up with Shelke, the young woman pulling herself away from the other stands she had taken interest in. Not having bought anything, she was quick to join her friends, then three of them silently heading back home.

Things had gone back to normal. It had been three months now since Vincent left Seventh Heaven in search of Kadaj. No one in the home had seen him, or the three remnants, since. Cloud had received a call from Vincent about a week after he had left, and he assured them that everything was fine. Sephiroth was no longer a threat, and they wouldn't have to worry about the remnants any longer. But he wouldn't elaborate, and Cloud was unable to get much out of him.

The blonde had talked to him a few times since, but not about anything too important. And they still weren't quite sure what the ex-Turk was up to.

Tifa often thought about Loz, and wondered what had happened to him and his brothers. She could only hope that the three of them were together, and that they had finally found peace.

The three women finally made it home. They approached the bar, Tifa first spotting Cloud as he sat outside, just beside his bike. Denzel was nearby, listening intently as Cloud explained the bike's finer workings. She couldn't help but smile when she saw them.

"Hello, everyone," a deep, monotonous voice said, catching all of their attention. Tifa and Shelke both turned around, surprised to find none other than the red-clad Vincent standing in the street behind them. He stood with a light smile on his face and his arms crossed, looking with same as always.

"Hello, Vincent," Shelke was the first to greet him, brightening with a smile.

Cloud lifted his eyes, surprised and smiling. "Vincent. Been a while."

"What are you doing here?" Tifa wondered, having so many questions and only thinking of one to ask.

"I thought I'd pay you all a visit," Vincent replied casually.

"That's great!" Marlene chimed in, "Dad's visiting, too. You can all visit together."

Vincent couldn't help but smile as he stared down at the young girl, "I can't stay for very long, though."

"What have you been up to?" Cloud asked, making his way toward him as he wiped his greasy hands off on a rag. "What about Kadaj and his brothers?"

Vincent's smile took on a different note. He looked away from them all as he spoke. Tifa could have said he almost looked embarrassed. "I bought a house in Nibelheim."

"Really?" Cloud said.

"The three of them are living there with me now. They're all making an effort to try and live differently, but suffice to say...they still need a little help."

"Where are they now?" Tifa wondered.

* * *

Kadaj sat down on the old pew, testing it at first to make sure it wouldn't break under his weight. Once he was sure it would support him, he relaxed. He rested back, crossing his legs as he stared up at the bright sunshine. It came in through the broken ceiling, bathing him, his brothers, and the rest of this old church in its beautiful rays. It felt so comforting. He closed his eyes, basking it in.

Yazoo was walking nearby, his eyes to the ground, taking in all the little things here and there that littered the floor-broken planks of wood, pieces from pillars that had fallen, shattered glass and broken chandeliers. It was all among the flowers that grew along the floor, along the border of the pool.

Loz sat on his knees, sifting his hand through the flowers that he had once found so disgusting. It wasn't much that he had come to like their scent; he just liked the thought of giving some to a certain someone.

"I don't know why people left it like this," Yazoo said softly, kicking at a piece of wood. "Why has no one ever tried rebuilding this place?"

Kadaj opened his eyes, looking around. "We could rebuild it," he suggested.

"I guess so...but what are we going to do about this?" Yazoo gestured to the large pool of water.

"We'll leave it."

"Who ever heard of a church with a big pool of water in the middle?"

Kadaj was about to respond, but didn't when he heard a noise. Yazoo and Loz heard it as well. Both of them turned their attention to the front door, where the soft rustling noise came from.

Yazoo narrowed his eyes suspiciously, crouching down and lifting a plank of wood from the floor. He stood back to his full height, watching the entrance carefully. He saw the slightest flash of red, then without a second thought, flung the piece of wood its direction. It flew through the air, hitting its target precisely.

A man screamed, crashing flat on his back.

The middle brother made his way to the front door, and Kadaj watched him bend down and grab hold of their intruder. Without much effort, he picked him up and hurled him through the air. Reno landed on his stomach in the center of the auditorium, groaning in pain. He mumbled something under his breath as he went to push himself up. He was kept on the ground though, and pushed flat again when Yazoo sat on his back. The remnant leaned over him, holding him by the hand to keep him from attacking.

"Look what I found," Yazoo said with a smile, "I've always wanted a pet, do you think Vincent will let us keep him?" He mockingly petted the Turk's head while he cursed at him.

"Yazoo..." Vincent's reprimanding voice came to their attention before the man even stepped into the church. The three of them look to the entrance as Vincent came walking it, looking as unenthusiastic as ever. Behind him came Cloud and Tifa, the two of them seeming weary in their presence.

A smile immediately came to Kadaj's face. He flung himself out of the pew and walked over to the newcomers, his attention solely on Cloud. "Hello, brother," he greeted, a joyous, innocent smile on his face.

"Hi," Cloud said awkwardly.

"Hi, Tifa," Loz greeted her, stepping up to the three of them as they stood together. He held out a bunch of flowers he had picked, offering them to her. She accepted them with a thank-you, while Cloud eyed him suspiciously, before his attention was grabbed by Kadaj again.

Vincent made his way over to Yazoo and Reno. The remnant remained straddling the other man's back, while Reno's annoyed eyes begged Vincent for help.

"What are you doing here?" Vincent casually asked the Turk, not feeling very inclined to help him at the moment.

"I'm just keeping an eye on things. President's orders," he explained. "Can you get him off me?"

Vincent smiled, turning his attention to Yazoo and gesturing for the remnant to get off. Yazoo rolled his eyes, but complied.

Reno pulled himself to his feet, brushing off his jacket and glaring daggers at the remnant. Yazoo only smirked, letting his gaze linger on him, before he turned away and walked over to his brothers. The Turk was left standing by Vincent.

"You can leave," Vincent said flatly, "And tell ShinRa he has nothing to worry about."

Reno grumbled something as he walked past him, making his way to the front door again. He passed by Yazoo, meeting the remnant's challenging glare before he walked out completely. Yazoo's gaze was on him long after he was gone.

Vincent shook his head softly, laughing to himself inside. He remained a step back from the others, watching the three remnant's interact with Cloud and Tifa. He wasn't paying attention to what the youngest brother was saying, but his eyes were alight with joy as he talked to Cloud. Loz was silent, but he was happy just because he was in the presence of Tifa again. Yazoo was also happy, even though he didn't show it. Vincent had learned to tell the young man's hidden emotions apart in the three months he had lived with them.

Three months, he pondered. It didn't feel like the day he had first found Kadaj was that long ago. Time had flown, and after spending so many decades alone, he was learning what it was like to share his life with people again. Not in a million years would he have thought this was how it would be. He didn't know how long it would last, or how long it would be before he could finally trust the remnants on their own...

But he wouldn't complain. After all, long ago he had done a great sin. And this was his punishment.

He laughed inwardly, so that no one could see.

All things considered, he rather enjoyed this punishment.

_End._

* * *

**A/N: Ah...We have come to the end of a long journey. lol I just want to thank everyone who took the time to read my story. Even if you didn't review it, I hope you enjoyed it. XD**

**And thanks to all the people who gave me little pointers and took the time to help me improve my writing. Whether is was my typos, my geographical blunders, or the stuff I did that defied physics. LOL Thank you.**

**And to all you reviewers, this story as it is would not exist without you guys. :)**

**So...keep a look out for that sequel. Not sure how fast it'll get up here, but you shouldn't have to wait too long. **

**So, until next time... XD**

**-Endellion**

**P.S. Happy Holidays!**


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